Eshan Malinga, a fresh pacer, has been officially called up to the national side by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for the forthcoming T20 International series against Bangladesh. This would be his maiden call-up to the senior squad. An essential component of both sides’ preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025 will be the three-match T20I series in the latter part of the month. In consideration of the fact that selectors have been impressed with Malinga’s run of form in the home T20 league, the selection is perceived to be an effort to introduce speed and aggressiveness to Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.
Maiden Call-Up & Domestic Performance
Eshan Malinga, a 22-year-old right-arm pacer, made an impression last year with his quickness and early-inning wicket-taking abilities. Representing Colombo Strikers in Lanka Premier League (LPL), Malinga took 14 wickets in only 8 games in the recent 2025 season, with an economy rate of 7.12. His straight line and length, and his skills to handle the new ball, made him a genuine candidate to be considered for national selection.
National Chief Selector Pramodaya Wickramasinghe has already endorsed the choice of Malinga on Sunday, remarking, “Eshan has been very impressive in the last two seasons of domestic cricket. His aggression and discipline with the ball have seen him get this opportunity.” This is part of the process Sri Lanka has been undertaking to prepare youngsters for major ICC events.
Sri Lanka’s Preparations & T20I Schedule
Sri Lanka is employing this Bangladesh series as a golden chance to test bench strength and set combinations in place ahead of the world tournament. Workload limitations excluded Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara, and hence the selectors opted for somewhat younger pace attack led by Dilshan Madushanka, which is now bolstered with Malinga’s return.
The three-match T20I series is scheduled as below:
1st T20I: July 14, Dhaka
2nd T20I: 16th July, Chattogram
3rd T20I: 18th July, Dhaka
Malinga can play a role in at least two of the three games, given team combinations. With his powerplay and death bowling skills, the team is offered flexibility to design match strategies.
Sri Lanka’s head coach Chris Silverwood welcomed the inclusion, saying, “We’re excited to see what Eshan can bring to the tablet’s important for us to test new players under pressure conditions. Bangladesh at home is never an easy challenge.”
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