Sri Lanka have announced a refreshed 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, handing first call-ups to Under-19 pair Sanjana Kavindi and Chamudi Praboda while recalling 19-year-old seamer Rashmika Sewwandi, as the hosts look to build on their 2-1 ODI series win. Led by Chamari Athapaththu, the side will open the T20I leg on Friday, July 31, 2026, in Dambulla, with the white-ball assignment running from July 23 to August 4, 2026.
Selectors have signalled a “soft reset” after the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier in 2026, keeping the core and senior heavy-hitters intact while integrating three fresh faces into the group. The most striking inclusions are the uncapped teenagers: 17-year-old top-order batter Sanjana Kavindi and 17-year-old slow left-arm spinner Chamudi Praboda, with the latter viewed as more likely to feature given her spin option in Dambulla conditions. Alongside them, Rashmika Sewwandi returns to the squad, adding pace-bowling depth.
In terms of omissions, middle-order batter Hansima Karunaratne and seamers Mithali Ayodhya and Chethana Vimukthi have missed out. Vimukthi had previously come in as an injury replacement for spinner Shashini Gimhani in the T20 World Cup squad, underlining the selectors’ intent to stabilise the bowling unit with a mix of experience and youth.
Despite the injections of youth, Sri Lanka’s spine remains firmly rooted in experience. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu continues to anchor a top order that has grown more assertive through the ODI leg, where Sri Lanka clinched the series 2-1, sealing it with an 8-wicket win in the third ODI. She is supported by the reliable trio of Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, and Vishmi Gunaratne, with Imesha Dulani and Nilakshika Silva offering additional batting flexibility.
All-rounder Kaveesha Dilhari provides crucial balance, while veteran off-spinner Sugandika Kumari leads the spin department alongside middle-order dynamo Nilakshika Silva and wicketkeeper-batter Kaushini Nuthyangana. In the pace attack, young quicks Kawya Kavindi and Malki Madara retain their places, with Sewwandi’s return adding another dimension in the mix; Nimasha Meepage also features in the squad, rounding out a well-rounded group for the T20Is.
The Dambulla venue typically rewards spin and clever variations in the T20 format, which could hand Chamudi Praboda a realistic pathway into the XI if Sri Lanka opt to test their new spin options. Sanjana Kavindi, meanwhile, faces a tougher route into a settled top order, but her inclusion reflects a long-term view from the selectors as they groom the next wave behind Athapaththu’s generation.
With momentum on their side after the ODI series triumph, Sri Lanka will be keen to carry that confidence into the T20Is, using this squad reshuffle to evaluate depth without compromising their core strengths. Pakistan, led by stand-in skipper Muneeba Ali, will aim to respond quickly and reset the narrative in the shortest format as the tour heads into its final phase.
Sri Lanka’s Women’s Squad for Pakistan T20Is:
Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Sanjana Kavindi, Harshitha Samarawickrama (WK), Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Kaveesha Dilhari, Nimasha Meepage, Chamudi Praboda, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Kawya Kavindi, and Rashmika Sewwandi
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