Sri Lanka’s T20 captain Lasith Malinga and vice-captain Angelo Mathews are back from injury to the Sri Lanka’s squad for both Asia Cup and Twenty20 World Cup. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who had missed the T20I series against India in India, has been included in the squad for both tournaments.
Malinga suffered from knee injury during the home series against West Indies on last October-November. He missed the New Zealand’s tour where Sri Lanka clinched the T20I series 2-0 and missed the 1-2 defeat to India.
However, Nuwan Pradeep, the young pacer, recently sidelined by hamstring injury, found no mention.
Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, off-spinning all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya, and Dasun Shanaka has been included in the squad but Seekkuge Prasanna and Kasun Rajitha, who featured in the recently concluded three-match T20 series in India, was ignored.
Lasith Malinga will lead the Pace attack while old war horse Rangana Herath will lead the Spin attack. Dinesh Chandimal has the average of less than 15 in 28 T20 International innings.
Sri Lanka will play their first match in Asia Cup on February 25 and their World T20 campaign starts in Kolkata, on March 17.
Sri Lanka Squad for Asia Cup and World Cup : Lasith Malinga (C), Angelo Mathews (VC), Dinesh Chandimal (WK), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardena, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Jeffrey Vandersay.