Sri Lanka on Monday named uncapped all-rounder Isuru Udana for next month's World Twenty20 championships in England as Kumar Sangakkara assumed charge as captain. The June 5-21 event will be Sri Lanka's first official tournament since the team was attacked by armed militants in the Pakistani city of Lahore on March 3 on the way to play third day of the second Test against Pakistan.
Seven Sri Lankan cricketers and an assistant coach were injured in the attack, which left eight Pakistanis dead. Sangakkara, the team's premier wicketkeeper-batsman, takes over as captain from Mahela Jayawardene, who resigned after the Pakistan tour to concentrate on his batting. Jayawardene was included in the 15-man squad, while veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was named as Sangakkara's deputy. Udana, 21, and batsman Indika de Saram, 35, forced their way into the squad with impressive performances in a recent domestic Twenty20 tournament.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who is currently taking part in the Indian Premier League in South Africa, returns to the side for the first time since the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean. Seasoned seamers Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando failed to make the squad. Sri Lanka have been drawn with Australia and the West Indies in Group C of the preliminary league with two teams advancing to the next round.
SRI LANKA SQUAD: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (vice-capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara, Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana, Farveez Maharoof, Jehan Mubarak, Indika de Saram. Coach: Trevor Bayliss (AUS).