Charith Asalanka's tenure as skipper of the Sri Lanka team was thrown into uncertainty after the southpaw came back home from Pakistan in the middle of the triangular series there.
All-rounder Dasun Shanaka will lead a strong Sri Lankan side for the T20 World Cup, featuring key players including Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka.
The replacement players will be available for Mumbai Indians only if they qualify for the play-offs.
Two senior players of the Sri Lankan cricket team, including skipper CharithAsalanka, currently touring Pakistan for a T20 tri-series will be returning home due to illness, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Monday.
The International Cricket Council has confirmed pacer Pramod Madushan as the replacement for Sri Lanka quick Eshan Malinga, who was ruled out of the Twenty20 World Cup on home soil after dislocating his shoulder against England last week.
'I am really pleased with the performance. Almost a perfect game for us. The pacers did the job (but) only the last over went wrong for us.'
Sri Lanka didn't have the best of preparations for the T20 showpiece as they were whitewashed 0-3 by England in a home T20 series. Ireland will be led by veteran Paul Stirling and feature key players like Harry Tector and Josh Little.
De Silva and veteran Angelo Mathews were not included in the 16-man T20 squad but there was a place for Hasaranga.
Contrasting centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook powered England to a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday to secure a 2-1 victory in the three-match ODI series.
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka led by example and smashed a belligerent hundred to set up a 49-run victory over a depleted Australia.
Sri Lanka must improve their batting against slower bowlers when they face New Zealand in a crucial T20 World Cup Super Eight clash in Colombo, with both teams chasing their first win.
Joe Root's all-round performance has helped England defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the second ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Mitchell Santner's all-round showing helped New Zealand recover from a poor start to crush Sri Lanka by 61 runs in the T20 World Cup Super 8s,
Sri Lanka will need to address batting inconsistencies and adjust their bowling strategy in the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga as they prepare to face Oman in a crucial T20 World Cup Group B match.
Injury-hit Australia are considering including veteran Steve Smith to strengthen their batting line-up for the crucial T20 World Cup Group B match against Sri Lanka. Australia needs to win to secure a spot in the Super Eights after a defeat to Zimbabwe.
England and Sri Lanka prepare for a crucial Super Eight match in the T20 World Cup, with spin bowling expected to play a key role. England aims to replicate their recent series win in Sri Lanka, while the hosts seek to capitalize on home advantage.
Pathum Nissanka scored his seventh one-day international century with 122 from 136 balls as Sri Lanka defeated hosts Zimbabwe by five wickets to clinch the two-game series at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Afghanistan will need to play with more flair and freedom in their must-win Asia Cup group match against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
NZ thrash SL by 61 runs to take one step closer to semis; Ravindra shines with 4/27
'Talat has done very well in domestic cricket. I know him for several years. He has been working really hard with his game, so I'm really happy for him.'
The islanders, led by Charith Asalanka, have quietly built a formidable unit combining top-order solidity with middle-order power and a spin attack tailor-made for UAE conditions.
India and Bangladesh have two points each with Suryakumar Yadav's men leading the standings owing to a superior net run rate. Sri Lanka and Pakistan occupy the third and fourth spots respectively.
In all the three group matches, Sri Lanka thrived while chasing and one would expect the Islanders to continue the same trend if they win the toss on Saturday.
Images from the ICC World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi, on Monday.
This is not the way we wanted to play, we have to do better than this: Asalanka
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
'We had a great chance to chase 150 odd in the last game. But that's the nature of T20 cricket.'
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
Along with Hasaranga, Sri Lanka have Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana among spin bowling options.
Bangladesh pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win against Sri Lanka, chasing 169 with just one ball to spare in Dubai on Saturday.
Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka felt the first two overs bowled by pacers Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera set the platform for their commanding Asia Cup victory over Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Opener Pathum Nissanka struck 68 as Sri Lanka beat Hong Kong by four wickets in their Asia Cup match in Dubai on Monday.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan on Tuesday didn't mince words while criticising the "not so ideal" scheduling
In the final over, when the nerves jangled, it was Bangladesh who stayed composed and savoured the sweet taste of success. Sri Lanka's 8-match winning streak in the T20 Asia Cup came to a bitter end with this defeat.
Sri Lanka ended on the wrong side of history, slumping to their second-lowest T20I total and lowest all-out total by a Test-playing nation against Zimbabwe in the second T20I at Harare on Saturday.
Pakistan survived a wonderful spell from an enraged spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in an intense Super 4 match to stay alive in the Asia Cup, in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
ri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka smashed a belligerent century as Indian bowlers endured their worst day in the Asia Cup before Arshdeep Singh produced a brilliant 'Super Over' to win the game for his side in Dubai on Friday.
'There was a lot of humidity. My energy was low. At the end, we decided he (Nawaz) will go for the big shots and I would block. Hats off to Nawaz.'
Charith Asalanka's heroic innings secured Sri Lanka's place in the Asia Cup 2023 final,
Sri Lanka will look to build on their perfect start in Asia Cup when they take on a struggling Hong Kong in Dubai on Monday.