Selectors ring changes by naming young 18-man squad; Sri Lanka to play three one-day internationals in Dhaka on March 23, 25 and 28; Kusal Mendis takes over as vice-captain to Kusal Perera, who has played 101 ODIs for his country so far
Wednesday 12 May 2021 15:41, UK
Kusal Perera will lead Sri Lanka in their three-match ODI series in Bangladesh this month after taking over the captaincy from Dimuth Karunaratne.
Perera, yet to skipper his country, takes charge of a squad that is not only without Karunaratne but also fellow former captain Angelo Mathews.
The new selection committee, led by Pramodya Wickramasinghe, changed the leadership in the wake of Sri Lanka's 3-0 defeat by West Indies in March.
In a statement, Sri Lanka Cricket explained the changes to the squad - which includes just three players aged over 30 - are in part to prepare a "more aggressive team for the 2023 Cricket World Cup".
Kusal Mendis has been appointed as vice-captain to Perera, who will be Sri Lanka's ninth one-day captain in the last five years.
ODI squad: Kusal Perera (captain), Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Dasun Shanaka, Ashen Bandara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Niroshan Dickwella, Dushmantha Chameera, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando.
