The national selectors named a strong 15-man squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup T20 tournament in Bangladesh and ICC World T20 Tournament in India.
Fast-bowler Lasith Malinga will lead the squad while all-rounder Angelo Mathews will act as his deputy. Sri Lanka are the defending champions in both the Asia Cup and ICC World T20 after they triumphed in 2014.
8 players from the World Cup winning squad of two years ago have been named once again. The newcomers are Chamara Kapugedara, Milinda Siriwardena, Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya and Jeffrey Vandersay.
Sri Lanka are currently number 5 in the World T20 rankings after an inexperienced outfit lost 2-0 to New Zealand and 2-1 to India over the last couple of months.
Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath and Nuwan Kulasekara have been named in the squad despite missing the Indian tour in the beginning of February due to injuries. The 37-year old Herath last played a T20I game way back in April 2014 in the WT20 finals.
Wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella has also been named as an attacking opener and a reserve wicket-keeper even though he had a poor show with the bat in India. Batting all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya has also been picked ahead of Lahiru Thirimanne and Danushka Gunathilake.
The selectors have picked the leg-spin of Vandersay ahead of Seekuge Prasanna while two fast-bowling all-rounders, Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka have also been accommodated in the 15-man squad.
The World T20 will see eight qualifying nations, in two groups of four, feature in the first round matches with the group winners joining eight sides in the Super 10 stage, which will split into two groups of five. The top two sides from both the Super 10 Groups will then qualify for the semi-finals before the final at Eden Gardens.
Sri Lanka will face the qualifying nation on 17th March in Kolkata to begin their title defense. The dangerous West Indies will be the second assignment on 20th March and after six days, Sri Lanka will take on England in Delhi followed by South Africa on 28th March.
Sri Lanka squad for Asia Cup and World T20 – Lasith Malinga (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice-Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, TM Dilshan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Niroshan Dickwella, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Rangana Herath, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeffrey Vandersay.
