Sports Minister approves players joining ODI squad

Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has approved the selection of the nine cricketers, who were stopped from leaving for India last night, to take part in the one-day series against India. 

The nine players were on their way to Colombo airport late on Monday for the overnight flight when they were ordered to return.

Ministry sources said Jayasekera was incensed that the players had been cleared to leave before he had given formal approval to the team selection.

Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesdayannounced the limited overs squad for the series against India, leaving out Test skipper Dinesh Chandimal, despite the batsman securing a hundred in the third Test. 

All-rounder Asela Gunaratne and opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka return to the side that has lost 21 one-day games this year and won just four.
 
Sri Lanka Cricket last week named Thisara Perera as one-day captain in place of Upul Tharanga. Under Tharanga, Sri Lanka suffered three consecutive ODI whitewashes this year against South Africa, India and Pakistan. Gunaratne returns to the side for the first time since being injured in July against India in Galle.

He will strengthen the batting order alongside the former skipper Angelo Mathews who returns having missed the last ODI series against Pakistan through injury.
Sri Lanka and India play one day games between December 10 and 17 in Dharmasala, Mohali and Visakhapatnam.

Sri Lanka ODI squad:

The team which has been ratified by the Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, will be led by Thisara Perera

and consists of:
Upul Tharanga
Danushka Gunathilaka
Lahiru Thirimanne
Angelo Mathews
Asela Gunaratne
Niroshan Dickwella
Chaturanga de Silva
Akila Dananjaya
Suranga Lakmal
Nuwan Pradeep
Sadeera Samarawickrama
Dhananjaya De Silva
Dushmantha Chameera
Sachith Pathirana
Kusal Janith Perera

-With inputs from Agencies