Press Trust of India
Colombo, Feb 18: Fit-again Lasith Malinga returned to lead the side, while vice-captain Angelo Mathews also made his way back from injury in Sri Lanka’s 15-member squad for next month’s World Twenty20 in India.
Malinga had missed the recent tour to India along with Mathews and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara, who was also nursing a niggle.
The team features veteran batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan, in spite of his double failure in the series against India, and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.
Surprise omission is fast bowler Kasun Rajitha who stunned India at Pune with a three-wicket burst and helped Sri Lanka win the first T20 game at Pune.
Sri Lanka lost their No.1 T20 ranking in January in New Zealand and then lost 1-2 to India in the recent series.
The squad: Lasith Malinga (captain), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, TM Dilshan, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardana, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath and Jeffrey Vandersay.
Sri Lanka start the defense of their title in Kolkata, March 17.
