News 2009

Dilshan to captain Sri Lanka in twenty20 match

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka selected Tillakaratne Dilshan as captain on Tuesday for a twenty20 match against India next week.

Several regular players will be rested for the match. Test and one-day captain Mahela Jayawardene, wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara and spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis were omitted by Sri Lanka Cricket for next Tuesday's match.

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga was recalled to the 15-man squad after being out for almost a year due to injury.

Sri Lankan selectors have also dropped out-of-form opener Michael Vandort for a two-Test tour of Pakistan, calling up uncapped 26-year-old batsman Tharanga Paranavitana, who has scored 4,833 runs in 78 first-class matches at an average of more than 43.

Suranga Lakmal, an uncapped 21-year-old pace bowler, has also been named to tour Pakistan. The first Test will be played from Feb. 22-26 and the second from March 2-6.

FACTBOX-Cricket-Muttiah Muralitharan factbox

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Factbox on Sri Lanka off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who equalled the world record for most wickets in one-day internationals on Tuesday.

* Aged 36, born Apr. 17 1972, in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Made his test debut in 1992 v Australia in Colombo. Has been the linchpin of Sri Lankan bowling, including the upset one-day World Cup triumph in 1996.

* Holds the world record for most test wickets, 769 from 125 tests.

* Was called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair in 1995, triggering a continuing debate about the legality of his unusual action. Was called again on a 1998-99 tour of Australia but was cleared of any wrongdoing after scientific tests proved his action was legal.

* Broke West Indian Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 test wickets in 2004 before injuries forced him to take an extended break from the game. Lost his world record to Shane Warne later that year but reclaimed it in 2007 after the Australian leg-spinner retired with 708 test wickets.

* Muralitharan also holds the world record for most 10-wicket hauls in a test match (22) and five-wicket hauls in an innings (66).

* Had Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh caught to go past retired Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram's one-day world record of 502 wickets in the third game of the home series on Tuesday.