Pacers Mithali Ayodhya, Chethana Vimukthi and off-spin bowling all-rounder Dewmi Vihanga have made a return to Sri Lanka’s squad for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup, to be held in the UAE from August 28 to September 13.
Sri Lanka have made three changes to their squad for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup, with Mithali Ayodhya, Chethana Vimukthi and off-spinning all-rounder Dewmi Vihanga returning to the team.
The Women’s Asia Cup will be played in the UAE from August 28 to September 13.
The three players were not part of Sri Lanka’s recent T20I series against Pakistan in Hambantota. Sri Lanka won that series 2-1, but the team has now brought Ayodhya, Vimukthi and Vihanga back for the continental tournament.
They replace Nimasha Meepage, Malki Madara and Rashmika Sewwandi in the squad.
Chamari Athapaththu will once again lead Sri Lanka, with Harshitha Samarawickrama named as her deputy. The defending champions have been placed in Group B along with Bangladesh, hosts UAE and tournament debutants Indonesia.
Sri Lanka will start their title defence against the UAE on August 29. They will then take on Indonesia on September 2 before playing Bangladesh in their final group match on September 6.
All the matches will be played in the T20I format at the Dubai International Stadium.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The last-four matches are scheduled for September 10 and 11, while the final will be played on September 13.
Sri Lanka enter the tournament as the defending champions after making history in the 2024 edition. Playing in front of their home fans in Dambulla, they defeated seven-time champions India in the final to win their first-ever Women’s Asia Cup title.
The upcoming tournament will be the 10th edition of the Women’s Asia Cup and will also be the first time the competition is being held in the UAE.
Sri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Imesha Dulani, Sanjana Kavindi, Vishmi Gunarathne, Harshitha Samarawickrama (vice-captain), Kaveesha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Dewmi Vihanga, Sugandika Dassanayaka, Chamudi Praboda, Chethana Vimukthi, Kawya Kavindi and Mithali Ayodhya