Sri Lanka recalled former captains Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews yesterday for the first test against New Zealand which starts in Galle on Aug. 14. Chandimal was dropped from the team for their tour of South Africa earlier this year due to poor form and did not make the squad for the World Cup either.
Mathews, who missed the South Africa tour due to a hamstring injury but played in the World Cup, returns to the test side after an impressive performance in Sri Lanka’s recent 3-0 one-day international series win over Bangladesh.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who also missed the World Cup, is another notable addition to the 15-man squad, which includes spinners Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshan Sandakan and Akila Dananjaya. Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando are the three quicks in the line-up, with all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva offering another spin option.
Sri Lanka will be coached by former fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake during the series, after his appointment on an interim basis on Wednesday. Sri Lanka Cricket has so far refused to clarify whether head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has been sacked.
Sri Lanka squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (C), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya De Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Oshada Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando.
Rashid ruled out for
rest of season
England’s World Cup-winning spinner Adil Rashid will play no further cricket this season due to a shoulder injury, he revealed. The 31-year-old said he was hoping to be fit for the winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa. “The aim was to come back after the World Cup and play for Yorkshire,” he told Yorkshireccc.com. “I enjoy playing for Yorkshire, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Rashid, who quit red-ball cricket last year before being recalled to the England Test team against India, insisted he was unable to play for his county side. “When I can play, I’ll play,” he said, having struggled with the shoulder issue throughout England’s successful World Cup campaign.
“I just wasn’t anywhere near fit enough to play. People may have other views, but I just can’t play. Any other talk is nonsense. My main aim is to get my shoulder fit, strong and powerful ahead of the winter. I’ll be in the gym, keeping fit and rehabbing my shoulder. Hopefully, once I get through that period I can just continue playing cricket.”
Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews (right) and Dinesh Chandimal. (Reuters)
