Sri Lanka announces 15-man squad 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cupand darsang shanaka will lead the co-hosts along with India. The announcement sparked discussion, particularly around changes to the middle order, as Kamindu Mendis win recall while Dhananjaya de Silva has been excluded from final selection.

The squad is largely similar to the one from the recent home T20I series against England, with just a few but significant changes as Sri Lanka fine-tune their squad for the global tournament.

T20 World Cup 2026: Kamindu Mendis recalled, Dhananjaya de Silva dropped

The most notable change was the addition of Kamindu Mendis, who replaced Dhananjaya de Silva as batsman. Kamindu missed the selection for last month’s T20I series against Pakistan and was also overlooked for the ongoing series in England, making his return a major talking point.

While Kamindu’s recent numbers haven’t been overwhelming – he has managed just 159 T20I runs since the start of 2025 – his strike rate of 130.32 seems to be working in his favour. In contrast, Dhananjaya was in poor form and was unable to score quickly in the midfield, which cost him a place in the World Cup squad.

Another option highlight is to keep Pawan RasnayakHe impressed the selectors with a brilliant century in the final against England. His recent performances have added consistency to Sri Lanka’s batting selection and the selectors have backed him to carry that confidence into the shorter formats.

However, the middle order remains an area of ​​concern. Left-handed batsman Charith Asalanka and captain Shanaka have struggled to maintain consistency in the T20Is. Asaranka averages only 15.15 points per game and has a strike rate of 143, while Shanaka averages 23.83 points per game and has a strike rate of 122.36. Their performance will be closely watched as Sri Lanka prepares for the high-pressure tournament.

Meanwhile, their bowling attack looks balanced and largely stable. The rhythm department consists of Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana and Eshan Malinga, providing a combination of experience, rhythm and variety. However, Malinga’s playing time remains uncertain due to injury, which could force him to reconsider if he fails to recover in time.

The spin department is one of Sri Lanka’s biggest strengths heading into the World Cup. Wanindu Hasaranga leads a versatile spin group that includes Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Asalanka and Kamindu, providing the team with multiple options depending on the situation.

Also read: T20 World Cup 2026 – Ricky Ponting’s top run scorer and player of the tournament

Group B challenge awaits Sri Lanka at home

Sri Lanka are placed in Group B with Australia, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe. Playing at home may be a major advantage, but the group stages also bring challenges, especially against a strong Australian side.

Sri Lanka squad for 2026 T20 World Cup

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga.

Also read: Pakistan boycotts India in 2026 T20 World Cup clash: List of teams to abandon ICC event