Angelo, Sachith, Kithruwan in ODI squad

Sajeewa Jayakody

Sri Lanka Cricket selectors yesterday named a 16-member squad including Nondescripts Cricket Club’s explosive middle order batsman Angelo Perera, all-rounder Sachith Pathirana of Chilaw Marians Cricket Club and Test cap Kithruwan Vithanage (Tamil Union) in the One Day International squad for the first two matches against touring Bangladesh,to be played on March 23 and 25 at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Hambantota.

Mahela Jayawardene was not considered due to fractured finger while left arm spinner Rangana Herath, mystery spinners Ajantha Mendis, Akila Dhananjaya and paceman Suranga Lakmal, who toured Australia last summer, have been omitted for the first two games.

It is interesting to see 23-year-old hard hitting Angelo Perera, who has blasted 538 runs with an impressive average of 59.77 in the on-going domestic tournament in the Lankan outfit as the former St Peter’s College right hander has been a good timer of the ball with a bold strike rate of 119.02. Chilaw Marians all rounder and former Trinitian Sachith Pathirana, 23, earned a place for his excellent left arm spin, which scalped two-dozen wickets with three five wicket hauls and 10 wickets in a match and he has scored 345 runs with useful left hand batting. Sachithra Senanayake (Sinhalese Sports Club) returned to the squad afteer he played against India at Pallekele in August last year.

Senanayake has been economical throughout the current domestic season while capturing 49 wickets with six five wicket hauls and one match-bag of 10 so far. The 28-year-old right arm off spinner has proved a useful batsman down the order. Angelo Mathews will lead Sri Lanka for the first time as the full time captain since country’s one of the greatest captains Mahela Jayawardene’s stepping down from the captaincy after the last Australian summer.

Promising wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Chandimal will be Mathews’ deputy on a full time basis after Sri Lanka revamped the side eyeing the 2015 World Cup in Austrlian and New Zealand.

ODI squad for the first two games at Hambantota:

Angelo Mathews (c), Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara (Colts), Dinesh Chandimal (vc & wk), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga (NCC), TM Dilshan, Kithruwan Vithanage, Jeevan Mendis, Shaminda Eranga (Tamil Union), Lahiru Thirimanne (Ragama CC), Sachithra Senanayake (SSC), Sachith Pathirana (Chilaw Marians).