T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka sack Charith Asalanka as skipper

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Friday named Dasun Shanaka as skipper of its preliminary 25-member squad for the T20 World Cup as the co-host sacked Charith Asalanka as the leader of the side.

Pramodaya Wickramasingha, who is back as the chairman of selectors, said Asalanka’s poor batting form and Shanaka’s experience in playing three previous World Cups were factors in making the decision.

Asalanka was speculated to be out-of-favour since he abandoned the white-ball tour to Pakistan last month over safety concerns following a suicide bomb explosion in Islamabad that killed nine people.

“Shanaka’s role will be of an all-rounder. When I stopped being a selector, Shanaka was the captain. Charith (Asalanka) was in our long term plans then,” said Wickramasingha.

Sri Lanka has been clubbed with Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman in the tournament, starting February 7. Wickramasingha said the selectors needed to relieve Asalanka of the captaincy burden ahead of the home series against Pakistan and England. Aslanka will be part of the squad as a batter.

“We hope he will regain his batting form. In consultation with Sanath Jayasuriya (the head coach), we decided it was not the time to make too many changes. So, we decided to go with the same squad,” he said.

On Niroshan Dickwella’s return to the squad, Wickramasingha said he was considered for several possible roles: “As an opener, a reserve wicketkeeper or even a middle order batter.”

He said in the future, the coach would also be a stakeholder. IANS

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