Lasith Malinga quits as Sri Lanka skipper ahead of World T20
Tuesday 8 March 2016 10:47, UK
Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga has stepped down from his position ahead of their World Twenty20 title defence in India.
Mohan de Silva, secretary of Sri Lanka's cricket board revealed Angelo Mathews will take over as skipper from Malinga, who is available to play Super 10 stage matches from March 15.
"He is stepping down only from captaincy," de Silva said.
"He has offered himself for selection only after (March) 15 because he is undergoing some treatment here in Sri Lanka."
Test and one-day captain Mathews was named Malinga's deputy in the original Sri Lankan squad for the tournament.
According to media reports Malinga, who led Sri Lanka to the 2014 World Twenty20 triumph in Bangladesh, is recovering slowly from a knee injury and is not certain to play all the side's matches in India.
The 32-year-old paceman has been a key player in Sri Lanka's progress to three World Twenty20 finals over the last four editions of the tournament.
Sri Lanka start their bid for a second World Twenty20 title on March 17 with a Super 10 stage match against the Group B winners in Kolkata.
