Lasith Malinga returns as SL pick up ambidextrous Kamindu Mendis in T20I squad

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Colombo, October 22: Sri Lanka named the squad for the one-off T20I against England with Lasith Malinga making a return to the side. Malinga last played in a T20I against India in 2017. Malinga had some impressive performances in the ODIs against England last week.

All-rounder Thisara Perera took over from Angelo Mathews, who was dropped from the ODI squad after a poor outing in the Asia Cup 2018, as the captain of the side. In another big news, ambidextrous bowler Kamindu Mendis has been drafted into the 15-man squad. Mendis has impressed the selectors in the warm-up fixture against England for the Sri Lanka Board XI.

Apart from those two picks, the squad wore the same look with Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Dananjaya de Silva leading the batting department and Kusal Perera, who was ruled out of the ODIs due to a quad strain, too has been named in the squad.

Ishuru Udana, who emerged as the top wicket taker in the recently concluded Afghanistan Premier League in UAE, would be the one to watch out for. England have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series with the final match will be played on October 23 followed by the only T20I Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on October 27. One ODI was washed out.

Sri Lanka Squad: Thisara Perera (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Ishuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dhananjaya, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan.