England captain keeps selection doors open ahead of T20 World Cup
The English summer begins with the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on Saturday, giving domestic players the chance to play themselves into the plans for the T20 World Cup squad.
Sri Lanka announced a new 15-member team for the one-off T20 International against India to be played here on September 6, making at least six changes in the squad named in August.
Sri Lanka Cricket had already named a T20 squad on August 15 ahead of the ODI series which India won 5-0 but two days before the one-off T20 match against India, the Board released a new team with just eight of the original players in it.
Captain Upul Tharanga, Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga and Akila Dananjaya were the eight players retained from the squad announced earlier while seven new players were added.
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Prominent among those added were leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and seam-bowling all-rounder Dasun Shanaka. Seamers Suranga Lakmal, who has recovered from a back complaint, and Isuru Udana have also been named, while Dushmantha Chameera and Vishwa Fernando have been omitted.
Kusal Mendis, whom the team management felt was suffering from mental fatigue, has been rested as well. Chamara Kapugedera was injured just ahead of the third ODI and was left out of the T20 sqaud.
Left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan and leg-spinning all-rounder Seekkuge Prasanna have also been left out.
Sri Lanka have a creditable T20s record this year. They won both the three-match series against Australia and South Africa, and drew the two-match series against Bangladesh to keep a 5-3 win-loss record.
The victories over Australia and South Africa, however, were against substantially depleted teams.
Sri Lanka T20 squad: Upul Tharanga (captain), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilshan Munaweera, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Wanidu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Isuru Udana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal and Vikum Sanjaya.
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