Malinga omitted from ODIs against Pakistan due to poor form

ESPNCricinfo: Lasith Malinga has been omitted from Sri Lanka’s squad for the Pakistan ODIs, while Angelo Mathews is again unavailable through injury. Sri Lanka Cricket said that Malinga was not considered due to his current form and in the context of Sri Lanka’s plans in view of the 2019 World Cup. Malinga has played only 13 ODIs since his return to international cricket in June this year, and his most-recent international match was the T20 against India, on 6 September. In ODIs since his return, however, Malinga has clearly been a diminished force, averaging 62.30 for each of his 10 wickets, and going at six an over.

The other surprise was the omission of opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka, who averages 42.41 in 12 ODIs this year. Test captain Dinesh Chandimal found a place in the squad, as did Chamara Kapugedara. On the spin-bowling front, Jeffrey Vandersay returned to the ODI fray after having been left out since February this year, pushing out left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan. Akila Dhananjaya was the other specialist spin option, while slow-bowling allrounders Seekkuge Prasanna and Milinda Siriwardana were also present. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera retained his place in the ODI squad, though he had been dropped for the Tests. Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and Vishwa Fernando were the other frontline seam bowlers. The first of five ODIs begins on 13 October in Dubai.

Sri Lanka squad

Upul Tharanga (capt.), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella,Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay

SLC bans Danushka Gunathilaka for six matches over misconduct

AFP: Sri Lanka Cricket Thursday slapped a six-match ban on allrounder Danushka Gunathilaka for “misconduct” during the recent series against India which the islanders lost 9-0.

The cricket board had ordered an investigation last month following a complaint from team manager Asanka Gurusinghe against the 26-year-old player.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said Gunathilaka was also fined 20 percent of his annual contract fee for violating the board’s constitution as well as the terms of his contract.

“The charges relate to misconduct and behaving in a manner unbecoming of a player, and the breach of several clauses of his contract which relate to fitness and discipline,” an SLC official told AFP.

An SLC statement said Gunathilaka pleaded guilty to the charges without spelling out what exactly they were.

Sri Lanka suffered the embarrassment of losing all nine international matches in their home campaign against India.

Virat Kohli’s visitors took the Test series 3-0 and then won a one-day international series 5-0 before triumphing in the lone Twenty20 international by seven wickets in Colombo earlier last month.

Gunathilaka has also been dropped from the squad for a five-match ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE.

Gunathilaka, who made his international debut in 2015, averages 42.41 in 12 ODI matches he played this year.