NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka on Friday named Dasun Shanaka as captain of its preliminary 25-member squad for the T20 World Cup, removing Charith Asalanka from the leadership role after he returned home from Pakistan midway through the triangular series.Pramodaya Wickramasingha, who has returned as chairman of selectors, said Asalanka’s poor batting form and Shanaka’s experience of playing three previous World Cups led to the decision.“Shanaka’s role will be of an all-rounder. When I stopped being a selector, Shanaka was the captain. Charith (Asalanka) was in our long term plans then,” Wickramasingha said.Asalanka had been under scrutiny since he left the white-ball tour of Pakistan last month citing safety concerns after a suicide bomb explosion in Islamabad that killed nine people. During the bilateral ODI series, Asalanka, who was leading the side, wanted the tour abandoned and allegedly urged some teammates to return home. Sri Lanka Cricket did not agree with the demand and warned of action. The team later stayed on, with the final two matches rescheduled.Asalanka returned home before the triangular T20 series, officially due to ill health, following which Shanaka took over the captaincy. Days later, Asalanka has been removed as captain for the World Cup squad.Wickramasingha said the selectors wanted to reduce Asalanka’s leadership burden ahead of home series against Pakistan and England. Asalanka remains part of the squad as a batter.“We hope he will regain his batting form. In consultation with Sanath Jayasuriya (the head coach) we decided it was not the time to make too many changes. So we decided to go with the same squad,” he said.On Niroshan Dickwella’s return, Wickramasingha said he was considered for multiple roles. “As an opener, a reserve wicket keeper or even a middle order batter.”He added that going forward, the coach would also share responsibility for team performance. “We will have targets for fitness for example. I will hold the trainer responsible if the players were not able to meet the required fitness level,” he said.Sri Lanka have been placed in a group with Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman in the tournament, which begins on February 7.Sri Lanka Squad: Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Traveen Mathew.
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