Colombo: Former Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara has been included in the new national selection committee by Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara after the previous selection panel was sacked ahead of time. Sangakkara, who took retirement from international cricket seven months ago, still plays in domestic leagues around the world.
The five-member committee, which will be headed by former skipper Aravinda de Silva, also includes Romesh Kaluwitharana, off-spinners Ranjith Madurasinghe and Lalith Kaluperum. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) revealed that the decision came following the recent disappointing performances by the national team.
“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,” SLC was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
De Silva, who had led the selection committees in previous years, had also chosen the Lankan squad ahead of and during the 2011 World Cup. Kaluperuma has appeared in two Tests while Madurasing played three Tests for Lanka. Sri Lanka will now head into ICC World T20, where they will play their opening match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 17.
