Jeffrey Vandersay replaces Lasith Malinga in the Sri Lankan World T20 squad

Lasith Malinga had travelled with the team to the World T20 2016 in India, despite carrying an injury to his knee. But apparently it has become clear that he will not be able to play any matches for Sri Lanka in the tournament.

Lasith Malinga will fly back to Sri Lanka while legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay will replace him in the squad for Sri Lanka’s remaining matches in the World T20 2016. Vandersay was included in the initial squad, but was withdrawn at the last minute before the team left for the tournament.

Malinga was the captain of the Sri Lanka team during the Asia Cup T20 2016, when he sustained a knee injury after the first match against India. Angelo Mathews had to take over the captaincy mid-tournament and though Malinga was included in the World T20 2016 Sri Lankan side and was expected to get fit before the tournament, it seems now that his knee injury is more serious than everyone thought.

Looking at the situation Lasith Malinga had stepped down from the captaincy and Angelo Mathews was named the captain for the tournament. And now that Malinga has officially withdrawn from the tournament, Jeffrey Vandersay will replace him in the squad.

Vandersay is a right-handed leg spinner who made his debut in T20Is for Sri Lanka in July last year against Pakistan and made his ODI debut in December last year against New Zealand. This makes him the third spinner in the side along with Rangana Herath and Sachithra Senanayake. But absence of Malinga also means that Sri Lanka now has to play in the tournament with only 3 genuine fast bowlers in Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal and Dushmantha Chameera and Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera for support.

Vandersay was also the part of the Asia cup T20 squad, but didn’t get to play any game, thanks to the pitches in the tournament supporting fast bowlers.