Selectors keep Sanath for T/20 World Cup
Chris DHAMBARAGE
The national selectors yesterday named uncapped wicket-keeper batsman
Dinesh Chandimal in the 15 member Sri Lanka squad for the upcoming ICC
Twenty20 World Cup to be staged in the West Indies.
Sri Lanka who were the runners-up to Pakistan in the previous event
held in England have been drawn in group �B� along with New Zealand and
Zimbabwe. They will take on New Zealand in the opening match of the
tournament on April 30 in Guyana.
After the World Cup in the Caribbean the Sri Lankan team will also
play a series of Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand and the
United States of America during their historic maiden cricket tour to
the USA.
Chandimal has been knocking at the door while captaining the Sri
Lanka Under 19 team and further confirmed his capabilities with a good
run with the bat in the recently concluded Inter Provincial tournament.
The 20 year old dashing right hander has a batting average of 31.62
from 17 domestic Twenty20 games and scored a brilliant century for
Ruhuna against Basnahira North in the Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial 4
day tournament.
The national selectors also decided to include promising off spinner
Suraj Randiv who has enjoyed a great deal of success in domestic cricket
in the recent past. The 25 year old of course had earlier represented
the country in nine one day internationals but will be in the Twenty20
squad for the first time.
Meanwhile twenty year old Thisara Perera has retained his position
following some good contributions for the team as an allrounder.
Twenty nine year old fast bowler Chanka Welagedera is another
newcomer to the shortest version of the game although he has been in and
out of the one day squad.
The selectors while blooding youngsters have also opted for
experience while including veteran all rounder Sanath Jayasuriya for his
all round capabilities. The dashing left hander has a tally of 606 runs
just one run behind Tillekeratne Dilshan who is the leading run getter
for the country in Twenty20 Internationals.
Jayasuriya is also set to play a major role with the ball along with
speed star Lasith Malinga and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis who is in
fact Sri Lanka�s highest wicket taker in this form of game with a tally
of 25 wickets from 12 matches.
Officials: Anura Tennakoon (Manager), Trevor Bayliss (Coach), Stuart
Law (Assistant Coach), Tommy Simsek (Physiotherapist), Jade Roberts
a(Trainer), Sanath Jayasundara (Computer Analyst), Lal Thamel (Masseur),
Chandika Hathurusinghe (Shadow Coach), Asantha De Mel (Selector on
Tour).
The Sri Lanka squad for Twenty20 WC
Player Age Club T/20
Kumar Sangakkara (captain) 32 NCC 20
M. Muralidharan (v. captain) 37 Tamil Union 09
Tillekeratne Dilshan 33 Bloomfield 23
Mahela Jayawardana 32 SSC 23
Dinesh Chandimal 20 NCC 00
Angelo Mathews 22 Colts CC 12
Thisara Perera 20 Colts CC 06
Nuwan Kulasekera 27 Colts CC 09
Suraj Randiv 25 SSC 00
Ajantha Mendis 25 Army SC 12
Lasith Malinga 26 NCC 20
Chanaka Welagedara 29 Moors SC 00
Chamara Kapugedara 23 CCC 08
Sanath Jayasuriya 40 Bloomfield 23
Chinthaka Jayasinghe 31 Bloomfield 02 |
