Sri Lanka ODI squad named for Australia series 2025: youth, experience, and plenty of spin

Sri Lanka ODI squad named for Australia series 2025: youth, experience, and plenty of spin Aug, 29 2025

Selection signals a balanced blueprint for Australia

Touring Australia is the toughest white-ball exam in cricket: hard Kookaburra balls, true bounce, big square boundaries, and relentless pace. Sri Lanka’s selectors have answered that exam with a 16-player group that leans on a stable core and a spin-heavy middle-overs plan, backed by a pace unit built for hit-the-deck lengths.

The Sri Lanka ODI squad for 2025 features top-order anchors, multi-skill all-rounders, dual wicketkeeping options, and a mix of seam and spin. Pathum Nissanka, fresh off a prolific 2023–24, headlines the batting alongside the strokemaking Avishka Fernando and left-hander Charith Asalanka. The middle layer adds muscle and calm through Janith Liyanage and Nuwanidu Fernando, both capable of batting long and shifting gears late.

All-rounders are the headline act. Wanindu Hasaranga brings wicket-taking legspin and late-order hitting. Kamindu Mendis offers a composed batting option who can bowl if needed and slot into multiple roles from No. 4 to No. 7. Dunith Wellalage, a left-arm spinner who fields like a hawk, gives them a second tweaker who can bat in pressure situations.

Behind the stumps, Kusal Mendis’ experience remains central, with Nishan Madushka providing backup and flexibility around combinations and match-ups. Australia often demands a tight infield and safe hands under lights; both options help tick those boxes.

The pace group—Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Mohamed Shiraz—leans on right-arm speed and hard lengths. Kumara’s heavy ball and Asitha’s seam discipline suit Australian wickets, while Shiraz adds an element of skiddy pace. Spin is deep: Maheesh Theekshana’s powerplay discipline and middle-overs squeeze pair with Jeffrey Vandersay’s legspin and the promising Eshan Malinga, who expands their wrist-spin options.

It’s a squad that reads like a plan: stack batting depth, control the middle overs with spin, and back quicks who can hammer back-of-a-length. One notable angle—the pace unit is all right-arm, which means lines, fields, and plans will need to be spot-on against Australia’s left-right batting mixes on big grounds.

Squad, roles, and how this could play in Australian conditions

Here’s how the 16 are set up by role:

  • Batters: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Nuwanidu Fernando
  • All-rounders: Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage
  • Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis, Nishan Madushka
  • Pacers: Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz
  • Spinners: Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Eshan Malinga

At the top, Nissanka is the tone-setter. He plays straight, rides bounce, and can bat through innings—gold in day-night ODIs when conditions flip after sunset. Avishka Fernando’s job is to put pressure on the new ball by hitting the V and exploiting width. If those two give a base, Asalanka can control overs 20–40, nudging singles into pockets and targeting the shorter square boundaries.

The middle order looks flexible by design. Liyanage and Nuwanidu Fernando are tempo players—calm against spin, busy between overs 25–40, and capable finishers if the base is good. On days when early wickets fall, Liyanage’s compact technique and shot selection make him a plug for collapses.

With all-rounders, Sri Lanka can load the XI with batting without losing bowling depth. Kamindu Mendis is the bridge between top and lower middle order—a role that matters on big Australian grounds where twos are as valuable as fours. Hasaranga is their game-breaker; he takes wickets in clusters and flips chases with 20-ball cameos. Wellalage adds control and batting insurance, letting the team carry an extra match-up spinner if needed.

Wicketkeeping combinations will likely be matchup-based. Kusal Mendis as first-choice keeper keeps the XI balanced; if the team wants him as a pure batter to free his hands at No. 3 or No. 4, Madushka’s glovework keeps standards high without cramping the batting order.

Spin depth is the standout feature. Theekshana is the metronome—powerplay overs, hard lengths into the pitch, and subtle variations off the straight. Vandersay gives attacking legspin, ideal for middle-over wickets when batters try to hit into the wind or target long boundaries. Wellalage’s left-arm angle changes sightlines, and Eshan Malinga offers another wrist-spin option for surfaces that grip under lights.

The seam plan feels clear: test hard lengths, mix cross-seam, and drag batters square. Kumara’s pace can push the short-ball plan, while Asitha’s upright seam can still find nibble even with two new balls. Shiraz adds depth and energy, useful for the second spell window between overs 30 and 40 when batters look to launch.

How might the XI look? In conditions with bounce and a grassy tinge, Sri Lanka could go with three quicks and two spinners, trusting Hasaranga as the third spinner if required: Nissanka, Avishka, Kusal Mendis, Asalanka, Liyanage, Kamindu, Hasaranga, Wellalage/Theekshana, Asitha, Kumara, Shiraz. On drier surfaces, Vandersay or Theekshana comes in for a seamer to tighten the middle-overs vise.

Australia raises different problems in each city. Perth is pace and bounce; Theekshana’s powerplay spell and Kumara’s hard length come into play. Melbourne rewards rotation and boundary protection; Kamindu’s busy batting and Wellalage’s control suit that tempo. Sydney can bring spin later in the night; that’s Vandersay time with long boundaries and the breeze across the ground. Brisbane under lights often rewards chasing smarts and cross-seam bowling—the kind of conditions where Asitha’s spell management matters.

Form and fitness will be watched closely. Hasaranga’s workload across formats has needed careful management in recent seasons. Kumara, when fit, is a handful but needs overs under the belt to find rhythm. Theekshana’s role clarity—when to attack versus when to squeeze—will tell on the scorecards, especially against batters who try to sweep the length off him early.

There’s also a quiet upgrade in fielding. Wellalage, Nissanka, and Kamindu cover ground and throw flat, which is vital on Australian squares where saving 15–20 runs can swing tight games. With two new balls and a likely higher par score, those small wins matter as much as a wicket in the 45th over.

Tactically, expect Sri Lanka to double down on: controlling overs 11–40 with spin; batting deep to avoid tail-end stalls; and using right-arm pace to angle into the body before going wide at the death. If the top order gives a 90–100 powerplay without heavy losses, this team can finish with a kick. If early wickets tumble, the extra batting of Kamindu and Liyanage must absorb pressure and reset.

As preparation for a crowded international calendar, this series is timely. It tests skills under lights, demands clarity in roles, and pushes bench depth through travel and quick turnarounds. The squad shows faith in a group that has grown together across formats—and it gives selectors coverage for injuries, matchups, and late tactical switches.

Names on paper don’t win in Australia; plans and patience do. Sri Lanka travel with both, and a squad built to make games go deep. Now it’s about execution—new ball starts, middle-overs squeeze, and cool heads at the death.