Ace spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana have been included in Sri Lanka’s 16-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, to be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
Both featured for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, where they impressed as the team’s joint-highest wicket-takers with 11 scalps each, alongside England quick Jofra Archer.
Hasaranga had a stellar 2024 in which he finished as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker in both ODIs (26) and T20Is (38), topping the global charts in the 50-over format.
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Though a hamstring injury ruled him out of the recent Bangladesh and Zimbabwe assignments, he played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s 2-1 ODI win against Bangladesh before pulling up. He took nine wickets in three matches, including a decisive 4/10 in the opener. He also became the second-fastest Sri Lankan to reach 100 ODI wickets during that series.
Earlier this year, Hasaranga made history by becoming the fastest bowler to 300 wickets in men’s T20 cricket, achieving the milestone in 208 matches.
He remains Sri Lanka’s all-time leading T20I wicket-taker with 131 dismissals and is currently ranked No. 6 among T20I bowlers and all-rounders in the ICC rankings.
Theekshana, meanwhile, continues to be central to Sri Lanka’s white-ball set-up, having claimed 61 wickets from 63 T20Is at an economy of 6.95. His variations and control will complement Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage as part of the team’s spin trio.
Charith Asalanka will lead Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, with the islanders grouped alongside Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. The six-time champions, who last lifted the trophy in 2022, open their campaign on September 13 against Bangladesh.
Elsewhere, Sanju Samson, Hasaranga and Theekshana's IPL captain at Rajasthan Royals, was named in India’s squad for the tournament, while Afghanistan will feature left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi.
India are the defending champions and record eight-time winners of the competition, which returns to the T20 format after last being contested as a 50-over event in 2023.
Sri Lanka Asia Cup 2025 squad
Sri Lankan cricket team: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.
