Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI vs Nepal- Quarterfinal 3, Asian Games 2026

Sri Lanka cricket team celebrating [Source: @ICC/X]The stage is set for the third quarter-final of Sri Lanka vs Nepal on September 29 at 5:30 AM IST at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. After the first two quarter-finals were abandoned due to rain, it is time for Sri Lanka to step up and face Nepal, who have fought their way into the knockout stage by defeating Afghanistan in the group-stage matches.Sri Lanka vs Nepal- Asian Games 2026 Quarterfinal PreviewSri Lanka, led by Sahan Arachchige, have been seeded directly into the quarter-final stage due to their rankings and will face a determined Nepal team. Nepal are coming off a solid winning streak in T20I cricket, bolstered by impressive performances from the squad consisting of Kushal Bhurtel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, and others. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will rely on players like Dushan Hemantha and Tharindu Ratnayake in their campaign to reach the semi-finals.Let's look ahead to the all-important knockout match and examine the best possible playing XI Sri Lanka can field against Nepal in the SL vs NEP third quarter-final of the Asian Games 2026 in Nisshin.Openers and Top Order: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Sineth Jayawardena, Nuwanidu FernandoThe opening responsibilities will fall upon the experienced Niroshan Dickwella, who will also serve as the wicketkeeper of the team. Dickwella is an explosive left-handed opening T20 batter who has played for Sri Lanka for over a decade. The veteran, who has scored 480 runs in the T20I format and over 3,300 runs in T20 games, will be handed the responsibility of building the foundation of the innings alongside the young Sineth Jayawardena. Jayawardena hasn't debuted for his national team yet, but boasts 686 runs in the T20 format, with recent scores of 82, 101, and 136 with the bat, underlining his strong form as a top-order batter.Following Sineth Jayawardena will be Nuwanidu Fernando. The right-handed batter has represented Sri Lanka in three T20I matches and has 1,764 runs in T20 games from the 74 innings in which he has batted. The 26-year-old has also represented Jaffna Kings in the recently concluded Lanka Premier League 2026 and boasts a total of 495 runs from the 27 matches he played in the tournament. His recent numbers also include a century and a half-century, which further underlines his importance as a top-order batter, capable of anchoring the innings during an early scare in the SL vs NEP match.Also Read- India vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI To Move Out Of Delhi! Reason RevealedMiddle Order and All-Rounders: Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (c), Dushan Hemantha, Chamika KarunaratneThe middle order will likely start with Ashen Bandara, the 27-year-old Sri Lankan batter, who represented the team in 12 international matches while averaging 24.25 in the T20I format. In the 2026 edition of the LPL, he represented Colombo Caps.He remains one of the vital cogs of the team, who can establish the middle-order connection by staying long at the crease, as his T20 average of 27.91 suggests.Following Ashen at number five will be Sahan Arachchige, the captain of the Sri Lanka Asian Games 2026 squad. Arachchige has limited experience with the Sri Lankan national team but boasts much wider all-round experience as a T20 player. He has accounted for 1,539 runs and 62 wickets from the 84 innings he has played in the format. In the Lanka Premier League this year, representing Galle Giants, Sahan has posted 241 runs at an average of 34.28, underlining his massive contribution as a middle-order hitter, along with his right-arm off-break bowling capabilities.Dushan Hemantha will be another massive contributor in the Sri Lanka vs Nepal Asian Games 2026 quarter-final. The 32-year-old all-rounder can bowl leg-spin while also being able to stand tall with the bat when the team needs him. His recent numbers show mixed results with the bat. However, he has also been consistent with wicket-taking, as in LPL 2026, he managed seven scalps from eight matches while bowling at an average of 14.85.Alongside him, concluding the middle-order batting will be Chamika Karunaratne, who will be primarily responsible for his batting capabilities. The 30-year-old also represented Galle Giants in the 2026 edition of the Lanka Premier League and managed one wicket with his pace bowling while scoring 253 runs at an average of 36.14 from 11 appearances.Bowlers: Tharindu Ratnayake, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Vijayakanth ViyaskanthNuwan Thushara, the 32-year-old Sri Lankan pacer, will lead the bowling department with his sensational bowling form in LPL 2026 while representing Kandy Royals. Thushara picked up 14 wickets from just nine appearances, averaging 22.28. His overall experience in the T20 format also makes him one of the most prominent choices in the playing XI alongside Binura Fernando.Fernando has also been in rock-solid form, scalping three-fers for Tamil Union in his most recent T20 appearances. In LPL 2026, he scalped four wickets from four matches while averaging 34.00, but his left-arm pace will also be lethal against the Nepal team at Nisshin. Tharindu Ratnayake will be another addition with his slow left-arm orthodox spin. The cricketer has appeared in four international matches for Sri Lanka, accounting for 11 wickets from them. Overall, in T20s, he has 94 scalps to his name from 86 appearances, and his experience for Sri Lanka A, Galle Gallants, as well as his overseas experience, will only add to the strength of the bowling department in the Sri Lanka vs Nepal clash.To conclude, the bowling department will be completed by Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. The young leg-break bowler from Jaffna will be responsible for handling the spin department. The cricketer, who has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20 League, will be joining hands with Ratnayake to trouble Nepal's batters during the middle overs.Sri Lanka Playing XI vs Nepal- Asian Games 2026Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Sineth Jayawardena, Nuwanidu Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (c), Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Vijayakanth ViyaskanthAlso Read- Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli: Who Has Better Numbers After 15000 ODI Runs?