Chandimal returns to T20 squad after ban

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal returned to their Twenty20 squad Thursday after serving an international ban for breaching the spirit of the game.

Chandimal was included in a 15-member squad for the one-off T20 that will round off South Africa’s tour of the island nation Tuesday in Colombo, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

The 28-year-old missed the two-Test series, which Sri Lanka won, and was out of the first four One-Day Internationals. The fifth and final ODI is on Sunday, but Chandimal was not included in the squad for that match.

But he was included in the T20 squad and will play in the day-night game on Tuesday.

Chandimal was banned by the International Cricket Council along with coach Chandika Hathurusingha and manager Asanka Gurusinha for refusing to take to the field for two hours during the second Test against the West Indies in June. It was shortly after Chandimal was accused of tampering with the ball.

The Sri Lanka captain was subsequently banned from the third Test against the West Indies and given a fine equal to his match fees. He was later banned for another two Tests and four ODIs after pleading guilty to violating the spirit of the game.

Meanwhile, Lasith Malinga’s heroics for the Montreal Tigers in the Global T20 League in Toronto have not been enough to secure a first international call-up since September last year.

The fast bowler was ignored for the 15-man T20I squad.

Malinga, who still harbours hopes of playing for his country, was the third-highest wicket-taker in Canada, and had the best average (11.84) and economy rate (6.41) among all bowlers in the tournament with more than five wickets.

Left-arm fast bowler Binura Fernando could be in line to play his first match in over three years after being called up. The 23-year old played two T20Is in 2015 against Pakistan, but has not played any international cricket since.

Dhananjaya de Silva has been called up to the T20I squad, having last played an international in that format in January 2017. A string of impressive performances against South Africa have been rewarded after the 26-year old has stood out as one of the best performers of the tour.

Sri Lanka T20 squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Thisara Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Shehan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dinesh Chandimal, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshan Sandakan, and Binura Fernando.