Sri Lanka appoint Sangakkara as selector

Sri Lanka have appointed a new set of selectors to be headed by former captain Aravinda de Silva. Others joining de Silva on the selection panel include Kumar Sangakkara, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Ranjith Madurasinghe and Lalith Kaluperuma.

Quote: "The appointment of the national selection committee was carried out by the sports minister, citing recent failures encountered by the national team in their tours to New Zealand, India, Asia Cup in Bangladesh and the inconsistency of selection criteria," an SLC release said.

The installment of a new selection panel at such short notice suggests that changes to Sri Lanka's World T20 squad may be made on Tuesday - on the very day the team is scheduled to depart to India. The previous selection committee's term was due to be up in early April. Sri Lanka would not have had to name their next team - for the tour of England - until well after their term was over.

Perhaps it is not too surprising that both Pakistan and Sri Lanka look set to make changes to their World Twenty20 squads after a disappointing showing at the Asia Cup.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/con...79207.html

That didn't take long. The new selectors have made two changes to the World Cup squad, while Lasith Malinga has stepped down as captain of the team, to be replaced by Angelo Mathews, amidst growing concerns over Malinga's fitness.

Lahiru Thirimanne and Suranga Lakmal have been brought in to replace Jeffrey Vandersay and Niroshan Dickwella.

Quote:Thirimanne's initial omission from the World T20 squad had caused a stir, as his limited-overs contributions had been good throughout 2015, despite very lean Test returns. Both Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda de Silva had publicly supported Thirimanne following that omission, and having now been installed as selectors on Monday night, have made Thirimanne a late addition to this World T20 squad.

He has been in good domestic form, albeit in first-class cricket, having hit two centuries and a fifty in five innings over the span of a month. Last year, he averaged 43.05 across 24 ODI innings. He had also made significant contributions to Sri Lanka's 2014 World T20 campaign - particularly in the semi-final against West Indies, where he top-scored with 44.

Lakmal comes fresh from captaining his first-class side to victory in the Premier League Tournament. He had been injured for parts of the domestic season, but claimed 19 wickets in the last four rounds of four-day matches. HIs inclusion bolsters the seam-bowling contingent in this squad, which now features three frontline pacemen, as well as allrounders Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka.

The ousted selection panel had picked wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella as a potential opening partner for Tillakaratne Dilshan. But with the team now having moved Dinesh Chandimal to the top of the order, Dickwella finds himself left out by the new selectors. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay was unused during the Asia Cup, where tracks generally favoured seam bowlers.

From a personal standpoint, I do hope that Malinga is fit. Even in the twilight of his career (and resembling a bloated, late-period Elvis), he is a must-see bowler for me.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-tw...79247.html

Jayawadene criticism had anything to do with this shake up ?  :-\

Bold moves by SL! 

Lol ....The norm is to have a couple years off .

Sanga is still active.

who next ? Mahela ? 

when will Shiv be named WI selector?!!  8)

12th of Never