Archives

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Promising young fast bowler Lasith Malinga was left out of the Sri Lanka squad of 15 players picked for the PakTel Cup one-day triangular tournament starting in Pakistan on September 30.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has replaced Malinga, who was a member of the Sri Lanka team that played in the ICC Champions trophy tournament in England early this month. The national selectors have also picked an additional batsman - Thilina Kandamby for the seven-match tournament, which also features host Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

Kandamby had to make way for an additional fast bowler for the England tour, but is recalled again for Pakistan ahead of another left-hander Russell Arnold who has again been given the cold shoulder.

There are no changes to the rest of the squad except that opener Avishka Gunawardene is lucky to be given another chance to prove himself at this level of competition. The tournament in Pakistan will be a make-or-break one for the left-hander who has lacked consistency to be retained in the side.

Sri Lanka will once again be without the services of their prolific wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan for this tournament. Muralitharan is recuperating from a shoulder operation and his place will be fought between leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Herath.

Sri Lanka was eliminated in the first round of the Champions trophy when they lost to England on the Duckworth and Lewis rain rule. Sri Lanka's only win in Group D of that tournament was against Zimbabwe whom they will face in two rounds of matches in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka will also play Pakistan twice in a league round with the top two teams going on to play in the final at Lahore under lights on October 16. Sri Lanka's opening match of the tournament is against Pakistan at Karachi on October 6.

The team will undergo changes for the two Tests that will follow after the one-day tournament in Faisalabad and in Karachi starting on October 20 and 28 respectively. Marvan Atapattu has been retained as captain with Mahela Jayawardene as his deputy. The team is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Sunday.

SRI LANKA TEAM FOR ONE-DAY TRIANGULAR

BATSMEN                               Age     ODIs

M.S. Atapattu, c (SSC)           33    220

D.P.M. Jayawardene, vc (SSC) 27    171

S.T. Jayasuriya (Bloomfield)     35   328

D.A. Gunawardene (SSC)         27    58

W.S. Jayantha (Bloomfield)      30    13

K.C. Sangakkara (NCC)            26  118

T.M. Dilshan (Bloomfield)          27   47

S.H.T. Kandamby (Bloomfield)  22     3

FAST BOWLERS

W.P.U.J.C. Vaas (Colts)           30   244

D.N.T. Zoysa (SSC)                 26   84

C.D.R. Fernando (SSC)             25   58

M.F. Maharoof (Bloomfield)        20  13

SPINNERS

U.D.U. Chandana (NCC)            32 128

K.S. Lokuarachchi (Bloomfield)   22  11

H.M.R.K.B. Herath (Moors SC)    26  6

Note: Sangakkara is the wicket-keeper.

OFFICIALS: Brendon Kuruppu (manager), John Dyson (coach), Ruwan Kalpage (computer analyst and fielding coach), C.J. Clarke (physio), Shane Duff (trainer).

PAKTEL CUP ONE-DAY FIXTURES

September 30: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Multan

October 3: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Peshawar

October 6: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Karachi

October 9: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi

October 11: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi

October 14: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Lahore (d/n)

October 16: Final at Lahore (d/n)

TEST MATCHES

October 20-24: 1st Test at Faisalabad

Oct 28-Nov 1: 2nd Test at Karachi

www.ceylincoproperties.com

www.Pathmaconstruction.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager