Upul Tharanga to lead Sri Lanka in tri-series featuring Zimbabwe and West Indies

31-year-old Upul Tharanga has been given the leadership mantle and was named as the stand-in skipper for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) tri-series, featuring Zimbabwe and West Indies, the national selectors announced on Saturday (November 5).

The decision was taken due to the absence of regular captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal. Kusal Janith Perera has now been appointed Tharanga’s deputy in the 15-man squad. Kusal Janith Perera will act as Tharanga’s deputy during the series. The seven-match tournament is scheduled to begin on November 14.

While Mathews pulled out of the tour after MRI scans revealed multiple leg injuries, Chandimal was hopeful of playing the ODI-leg of the Zimbabwe tour after undergoing a surgery for a thumb injury. There were reports of him regaining full fitness but it has now been confirmed that he will not be part of the limited-overs team.

Tharanga a veteran of 188 ODIs has scored a total of 5526 runs at an average of 32.89 with a highest of 174 against India in 2013 at the Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica in a tri-series what also involved the West Indies.

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Asela Gunaratne and Lahiru Kumara – who made their debut in the first Test – have earned a maiden call-up for the ODI squad, while Shehan Jayasuriya, Nuwan Kulasekara and Jeffrey Vandersay have been recalled.

Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Janith Perera (w & v/c), Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga (c), Kusal Mendis, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asela Gunaratne, Sachith Pathirana, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dasun Shanaka, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Jeffrey Vandersay.