Dilshan Retained As Sri Lanka Captain, Prasanna Called Up

Dilshan Retained As Sri Lanka Captain, Prasanna Called Up

Tillakaratne Dilshan will continue to captain Sri Lanka for the rest of the year

©REUTERS / Action Images

Tillakaratne Dilshan has been appointed as Sri Lankan captain in all three formats of the game until the end of the year.

Dilshan has assumed the roles on an interim basis after Kumar Sangakkara made way following the 2011 World Cup but he has now been appointed on a more permanent basis.

The decision to make Dilshan, 34, captain for Tests, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals, has been formally ratified by Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Dilshan has an impressive record in Tests having scored 4,243 runs at an average of 43.74 although he has yet to taste success as a Test skipper, losing a recent series in England 1-0.

He started brightly in charge of the Twenty20 Internationals with a 2-0 series win over Australia but has won three from eight matches in ODIs since his appointment.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have added uncapped leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna to their squad for the final two ODIs against Australia in Colombo on 19th and 21st August.

He has been recalled from the Sri Lanka 'A' tour of England, where he has been in impressive form, taking six for 23 in one recent match.

Prasanna has played 47 one-day games and has taken 72 wickets and joins fellow spinners Dilshan, Ajantha Mendis, Jeevan Mendis and Suraj Randiv in the squad.

Sri Lanka trail the five-match series 2-1.

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Shaminda Eranga, Mahela Jayawardene, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suraj Randiv, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga

© Cricket World 2011