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Lasith Malinga back as Sri Lanka ODI, T20 captain

Lasith Malinga has been appointed as the captain of Sri Lanka's limited-over squads to lead the national team against New Zealand.

Lasith Malinga will lead Sri Lanka once again. (Source: File)

Lasith Malinga has been appointed as the captain of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs squads to lead the national team against New Zealand. Malinga will lead the 17-man squad for three One-Day Internationals and one T20I starting January 3. Malinga replaces Dinesh Chandimal who had captained Sri Lanka in the home ODI series against England in October.

However, this is not Malinga’s first stint in captaincy as he led the Islanders in the T20 World Cup in 2014. A series of injuries finally led him to quit captaincy. Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena confirmed his appointment.

Since his return to the national side, Malinga has bagged more than 10 wickets. However, he is still not sure of his place in the side for the next year’s world cup. “I feel that if I get the chance to play the World Cup, I will,” was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo. “It will be my last World Cup. I’m not expecting to get the chance, given the kinds of things that have happened to me over the recent past. But I will take it if it is given,” he added.

The three-match ODI series is set to begin on 3 January, followed by a one-off T20I on 11 January.

Sri Lanka ODI and T20I Squad: Lasith Malinga (captain), Niroshan Dickwella, Angelo Mathews, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Asela Gunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Lakshan Sandakan, Seekkuge Prasanna, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara

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