Sri Lanka's selection panel takes responsibility for World T20 debacle

Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lanka Cricket’s selection committee chairman has stood by his panel and taken responsibility for making last-minute changes to the team for World T20 that was held in India. “All decisions were taken in the best interest of the team and we take responsibility,” de Silva, the former cricketer, said. He also replaced the committee headed by Kapila Wijegoonawardana.

Wijegoonawardana’s committee was sacked by the Sports Ministry just a few days before the team departed. De Silva’s committee, which also included Kumar Sangakkara, made changes to the squad picked by the previous committee.

Sri Lanka had a forgettable tournament and failed to make it to the semi-finals as they tried to defend the title won in 2014. Aravinda de Silva also defended the decision to include Lahiru Thirmanne in the squad after he had been overlooked by the previous committee for poor form.

“Thirimanne is the most technically sound batsman we have right now. He needs to be backed. Marvan Atapattu was still kept in the team after making six ducks, Sanath Jayasuriya was brought up the order after his repeated failures in the middle order,” he said.

On Lasith Malinga’s spat with the selectors, de Silva said all decisions on the pacer was taken in consultation with him. Malinga resigned as captain just before the original team was selected. He was named in the final squad and travelled with the team before withdrawing on fitness grounds. “His fitness will be proved soon when he plays in the IPL,” he reckoned.

Did a Sri Lankan player feature in the WT20 team of the tournament? – Analysis: ICC World T20 2016 team of the tournament