| Player: | DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas, DNT Zoysa, UDU Chandana, RP Arnold, KMDN Kulasekara |
| Event: | Sri Lanka in India 2006/07 |
The Mahela Jayawardene-led 15-men Sri Lankan cricket team, without key bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, arrived here today for a four-match ODI series against India commencing at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on February 8. Off-spinner Muralitharan and left-arm pace bowler Vaas, Lanka's most successful bowlers in one-dayers over more than a decade, are carrying niggles and have been rested by the Lankan selectors ahead of the March-April World Cup in the West Indies. The side touring India, which is to play matches at Kolkata, Rajkot (Feb 11), Goa (Feb 14) and Vishakapatnam (Feb 17), includes recalled tall left-arm pacer Nuwan Zoysa, leg-spinner cum lower order batsman Upul Chandana, middle order batsman Russel Arnold and medium pacer Nuwan Kulasekera. The series provides the last chance for both Lanka and hosts India to fine-tune for the World Cup, besides affording the islanders a chance to avenge their 1-6 defeat in the previous series the two sides had contested last season here.
The squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Malinga Bandara, Nuwan Zoysa and Nuwan Kulasekera. Coach: Tom Moody.