Injury stricken Sri Lanka likely to send depleted squad

With several key players carrying injuries Sri Lanka are likely to send a depleted squad for the three-match T20 international series to India next month.

Both countries are set to play a series of three matches prior to the Asia Cup as they look ahead to the World T20 in March.

The matches in India are scheduled at Pune on February 9, Delhi on February 12 and Visakhapatnam on February 14.

T20 captain Lasith Malinga is still recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of the tour to New Zealand. It is learnt that he will require another fortnight to regain full fitness.

Meanwhile Test and ODI skipper Angelo Mathews is nursing a thigh strain that prevented him from bowling in New Zealand.

Fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath are also struggling to get fit - both having picked up injuries during the Premier T20 tournament playing for their respective clubs.

Pradeep is being treated for a hamstring and Herath for a pulled side muscle, the Daily News learns.

All four players are unlikely to figure in the squad that will be picked for the short series in India and their places are likely to be filled by young players who have performed well in the recently concluded Premier T20 tournament.

With Malinga's fitness still under a cloud Dinesh Chandimal who led Sri Lanka in the two T20 internationals in New Zealand will most probably continue as captain.

It is learnt that a provisional squad of 30 players will be picked before February 1 for the ICC World T20 that will be held in India in March. The squad will be pruned down to the final 15 by February 15. The performances in the ongoing Super T20 provincial tournament will also be taken into consideration with experience and current form being the criteria.

It is learnt that the squad that is picked for the Asia Cup in Bangladesh will virtually be the same side that will defend the World T20 title in India.

The Asia Cup is scheduled from February 24 to March 6 and the World T20 from March 8 to April 3. The Asia Cup for the first time is being shifted from ODI format to T20 format taking the T20 World Cup into account.

Sri Lanka are the defending champions in both tournaments - Asia Cup and World T20.