Malinga, Mathews back for World T20

Friday, 19 February 2016 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara all returned to Sri Lanka’s T20 squad for the Asia Cup and the subsequent World T20 - AFP

ESPNCriconfo: Twenty20 captain Lasith Malinga, vice-captain Angelo Mathews and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara are back from injury for Sri Lanka, for the Asia Cup and the World T20 that follows. All three players were included in the identical 15-man squads named for both tournaments. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who had missed Sri Lanka’s three-match T20 series in India, also made a return.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has also been named, while the likes of Lahiru Thirimanne and Danushka Gunathilaka missed out. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, offspinning allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya, and seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka find places in the squads, but Seekkuge Prasanna and Kasun Rajitha - who played in the recent T20 series in India - have been overlooked.

The spin-bowling contingent features Herath, Sachithra Senanayake and Vandersay, while Milinda Siriwardana’s left-arm spin and Jayasuriya’s offspin is also available. The seam attack is spearheaded by captain Malinga; Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera and Thisara Perera are in tow.

On the batting front, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mathews provide experience to the top seven, but the XI also looks likely to feature batsmen as yet unproven in this format. Shanaka and Jayasuriya have played four and five T20 internationals respectively, and even Dinesh Chandimal has not established himself in the format yet, averaging less than 15 in 28 T20 international innings.

Dickwella, 22, has also played only two T20 internationals, and did not break through to double figures in those outings. He will be among those contending to partner Dilshan at the top of the order, with Kusal Perera suspended due to a doping charge. Dickwella is coming off strong domestic season, having hit 189 runs at a strike rate of 173.39, in six innings, during the recent Super T20 Provincial Tournament.

Thirimanne had played a significant role in the previous World T20 campaign, even top-scoring in the semi-final against West Indies, but the paucity of his recent Test results has seemingly seen him fall out of favour with the selectors. He had, however, averaged more than 43 in ODIs last year - though he did not play T20 internationals.

The selectors have also backed the experience of Herath, despite mild concerns over his fielding. With Malinga, Kulasekara and Senanayake also in the squad, much of the bowling unit that had been vital to Sri Lanka’s 2014 World T20 victory, remains in place. Dilhara Fernando, who played his first international match since 2012 in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, does not find a place.

Sri Lanka begin their Asia Cup defence in Mirpur on February 25, and their World T20 campaign starts in Kolkata, on March 17.