Asalanka determined to push Sri Lanka up the rankings ahead of 1st T20I against Kiwis

Dambulla [Sri Lanka]: Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka emphasized the importance of improving their ICC rankings ahead of the team's first T20I match against New Zealand.

The two-match T20I series will kick off on November 9 at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla. The second and final match of the T20I series will be played on November 10 in Dambulla.

Speaking ahead of the match, Asalanka said that his side's goal is to make a place in the top three in the rankings.

"We need to climb up the rankings, because that shows we've been consistently winning. Our goal is is to climb to the top three in the rankings. If we've consistently been winning, when we go to the ICC tournaments, we won't get exposed," Asalanka was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.

He added it's important for them to maintain consistency and play well from tour to tour.

"We'd have played good teams and won, like we used to do in 2014 and before, when we used to get to the semi-finals easily. We are hoping to come back to that level. It's important to play really well from tour to tour," he added.

He further added that everyone in the playing eleven needed to fight for their own places.

"We're hoping to play our best XI all the time. That's how our bench strength improves as well, because they then know how well you have to play to get a spot in that XI. And the players in the XI also fight for their own places. I think we've improved that situation recently. Hopefully, we can develop 15/16 really strong players over the course of a year," he further added.

Sri Lanka have kept the same T20I squad which played against against West Indies, which they won 2-1.

Star seamer Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara have only been included in the T20I squad. Meanwhile, Charith Asalanka will be leading the squad in both the T20I and ODI series against the Kiwis.

Sri Lanka's T20I squad against New Zealand: Charith Asalanka , Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando.

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