Tharanga to lead SL in T20 in Mathews’ absence

Upul Tharanga will once again take the reins of Sri Lanka’s T20 team for the two-match series against Bangladesh which begins tomorrow, after Angelo Mathews was ruled out.

Tharanga, who captained the One Day International team in Zimbabwe last year and in the recent series against Bangladesh, led Sri Lanka in the T20I series in Australia which they won 2-1.Sri Lanka have stuck to largely the same squad, though batsmen Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella, along with all-rounder Sachith Pathirana have been omitted.

Dickwella is still recovering from a hand injury sustained on the eve of the second ODI against Bangladesh.Replacing them are all-rounders Thisara Perera and Shehan Jayasuriya, and opening batsmen Kusal Perera and Danushka Gunathilaka.

Kusal Perera, who was injured in the lead up to the one-day series against Bangladesh has been included provisionally, subject to regaining fitness, with Sandun Weerakkody on stand-by to take over in the event Kusal Perera is deemed unfit to play.

Thisara’s last T20I for Sri Lanka was at home against Australia last year, while Jayasuriya last represented Sri Lanka in the shortest form during the World T20 2016 in India.

The first T20I will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, followed by the second at the same venue on Thursday.

SRI LANKA SQUAD: 
Upul Tharanga (c), 
Dilshan Munaweera, 
Danushka Gunathilaka, 
Kusal Janith Perera/sandun Weerakkody, 
Lasith Malinga, 
Isuru Udana, 
Nuwan Kulasekara, 
Dasun Shanaka, 
Vikum Sanjaya, 
Milinda Siriwardana, 
Asela Gunaratne, 
Seekuge Prasanna, 
Chamara Kapugedera, 
Thisara Perera, 
Lakshan Sandakan, 
Shehan Jayasuriya