Hasantha, Gayan for Twenty/20 World Cup

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: The national selectors yesterday recalled top all rounders Hasantha Fernando and Gayan Wijekoon into their fifteen member strong squad that will compete in the inaugural International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty/20 cricket World Cup tournament to be worked off from September 11 to 24 in South Africa.

Sri Lanka captained by Mahela Jayawardena will be vying for honours in group 'C' along with New Zealand and Kenya with both matches played in Johannesburg. The two top teams from each group will qualify to play in the Super Eight from September 16 to 20.

Hasantha Fernando is considered as the best player in the domestic Twenty/20 tournaments and has an impressive record having played in sixteen matches. His last one day international was against Bangladesh at Bogra in February 2006.

Fernando who has represented the country in seven one day internationals and two Test matches will strengthen the late order batting apart from his capabilities as a useful fast bowler. Chairman national selectors Ashantha de Mel said that players in the calibre of Hasantha Fernando and Gayan Wijekoon are ideal for this type of cricket.

He noted that the team is studded with several good all rounders who could play a major role in this form of cricket. Wijekoon is yet to play a one day international for Sri Lanka but he has represented the country in two Test matches.

De Mel said that leg spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi was selected ahead of Malinga Bandara following his excellent performances in England with the Sri Lanka 'A' team. De Mel observed that Lokuarachchi is capable of producing some big shots and his bowling too really suits this type of cricket.

De Mel said that Jehan Mubarak is currently injured having twisted his ankle but was picked for this tournament as there is a period of more than one month for him to recover. However Mubarak will miss Sri Lanka 'A' teams tour to Kenya which will take place next week.

Sri Lanka have so far played only three Twenty/20 matches where they faced New Zealand twice and England once last year. They lost to New Zealand by five wickets in their first ever Twenty/20 international at Auckland but won the second game by 18 runs on the Duckworth and Lewis scoring method at Wellington.

Sri Lanka also defeated England by two runs in their only Twenty/20 international match played at Southampton last year.

The Sri Lanka team for the inaugural Twenty/20 World Cup

Player 				Club		Age	20/20M	ODI
 
Mahela Jayawardena (captain)	SSC		30	5	256
Kumar Sangakkara (vice captain) NCC		29	6	203
Tillekeratne Dilshan	       	Bloomfield 	30 	4	126           
Dilhara Fernando	       	SSC           	28      5      	118
Hasantha Fernando		Chilaw Marians	27	16	7
Sanath Jayasuriya		Bloomfield	38	9	398
Kaushal Lokuarachchi		SSC		25	8	19
Farveez Maharoof		NCC		22	6	72
Lasith Malinga			NCC		23	9	40
Jehan Mubarak			CCC		26	8	23
Muttiah Muralitharan		Tamil Union	35	8	297
Chamara Silva			Sebastianites	27	5	30
Upul Tharanga			NCC		22	3	61
Chaminda Vaas			Colts		33	2	300
Gayan Wijekoon			Chilaw Marians	30	8	-

Stand byes: Dilruwan Perera, Dilhara Lokuhettige and Nuwan Kulasekera.
Officials on Tour: Shriyan Samararatne (Manager),
 Trevor Bayliss (Coach), Paul Farbrace (Assistant Coach), 
Tommy Simsek (Physiotherapist), Jade Roberts (Trainer), 
Nalin de Alwis (Computer Analyst), Lal Thamel (Masseur), 
Asantha De Mel (Selector on Tour).

The fixtures: 
Date		Match			D/N	 Venue         
Sep 11 	South Africa v West Indies 	D/N 	Johannesburg        
Sep 12 	Kenya v New Zealand 		Day 	Durban        
Sep 12 	Pakistan v Scotland 		Day 	Durban        
Sep 12 	Australia v Zimbabwe 		D/N 	Cape Town        
Sep 13 	Bangladesh v West Indies 	Day 	Johannesburg        
Sep 13 	England v Zimbabwe 		Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 13 	India v Scotland 		D/N 	Durban        
Sep 14 	Kenya v Sri Lanka 		Day 	Johannesburg        
Sep 14 	Australia v England 		Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 14 	India v Pakistan 		D/N 	Durban        
Sep 15 	New Zealand v Sri Lanka 	Day 	Johannesburg        
Sep 15 	South Africa v Bangladesh 	D/N 	Cape Town        
Sep 16 	Group E - C1 v D2 		Day 	Johannesburg        
Sep 16 	Group F - B1 v A2 		Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 16 	Group E - A1 v B2 		D/N 	Cape Town        
Sep 17 	Group F - D1 v C2 		D/N 	Johannesburg        
Sep 18 	Group E - C1 v B2 		Day 	Durban        
Sep 18 	Group F - B1 v D1 		Day 	Johannesburg        
Sep 18 	Group F - A2 v C2 		D/N 	Johannesburg        
Sep 19 	Group E - A1 v C1 		Day 	Durban        
Sep 19 	Group E - B2 v D2 		D/N 	Durban        
Sep 20 	Group F - B1 v C2 		Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 20 	Group F - A2 v D1 		Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 20 	Group E - A1 v A2 		D/N 	Durban        
Sep 22 	1st Semi Final 			Day 	Cape Town        
Sep 22 	2nd Semi Final 			D/N 	Durban        
Sep 24 	     Final  	                Day Johannesburg