Atapattu still Lanka captain

Sri Lankan selectors have shown faith on Marvan Atapattu as captain of the national team despite the island country failed to reach the final of the triangular in home turf. This was the first time in four years that Sri Lanka failed to win the home series.

Atapattu will remain captain for one-day series against West Indies at Barbados and St Vincent. However, batsmen Russel Arnold could not find a spot in the 15-member team that boosts seven specialist batsmen. All-rounder Kaushalya Weeraratne was also dropped from the side while left-handed batsman Naveed Nawaz and seamer Dinusha Fernando was given a place in the team.

Selectors decided that evaluating captain with a series is not justifiable. Atapattu took over from Sanath Jayasuriya who resigned as captain after series in Sharjah in April.

The team that will play two test matches against West Indies after the one-day series would be selected later. West Indies recently lost the 5-test series against Australia by 3-1 but pulled out a historic win in the fifth test chasing the heavy target of 418.

Sri Lanka squad includes Marvan Atapattu (captain), Mahela Jayawardena (vice-captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Koushalya Lokuarachchi, Kumar Dharmasena, Prabath Nissanka, Upul Chandana, Darshana Gamage, Dinusha Fernando and Naveed Nawaz.


Posted by Ujjwol