The national selectors have recalled leg-spinning all-rounder Jeevan Mendis to the Sri Lanka T20I squad for the forthcoming two-match series against Bangladesh.
The first T20 will be played on the 15th February and the 2nd will be played on the 18th February 2018.
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As reported earlier, Dinesh Chandimal will lead the side in the absence of Angelo Mathews who was sidelined for the entire Bangladesh tour due to a hamstring injury which he picked up in the early stages of the tri-nation series.
Chandimal set to lead Sri Lanka in T20Is
Dinesh Chandimal is set to lead Sri Lanka in the upcoming T20I..
35-year old Mendis, who last played a T20I match in 2013, has an impressive track record in T20 cricket around the world, scoring over 1800 runs and capturing over 60 wickets in 120 games.
Thisara Perera, who captained the team in India in Sri Lanka’s final T20I assignment retains his place while players like Chathuranga De Silva, Sachith Pathirana and Sadeera Samarawickrama have been dropped.
Fast-bowler Dushmantha Chameera has not been named in the squad due to an injury while seamer Shehan Madushanka who made his international debut in the tri-nation series has made the T20I squad along with 20-year old Asitha Fernando, who played a solitary ODI against Zimbabwe last July.
Left-arm spinner Amila Aponso, leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and left-arm seamer Isuru Udana have also earned recalls to the Sri Lanka T20I setup.
Veteran Lasith Malinga has once again been unable to find a spot in the 15-man squad. Since his return from a long injury layoff, Malinga has taken only 10 wickets at an average of 62 in 13 ODIs and was dropped for the recent tours of UAE and India. However, he has done reasonably well in T20Is since the injury, having taken 12 wickets in 6 T20Is.
Sri Lanka T20I squad – Dinesh Chandimal (Captain), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Shehan Madushanka, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Jeevan Mendis, Asitha Fernando.
