De Silva, Sanga among new Sri Lanka selectors after poor Asia Cup show

Star wicket-keeper batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Romesh Kaluwitharana have been named in the new five-member selection committee, led by cricket legend Aravinda De Silva following a dismal performance by the Sri Lanka team in the recent past, the South Asian country’s cricket board announced late on Monday.

The announcement comes on the heels of the national team’s failure in series against New Zealand, India and the just concluded Asia Cup T20 in Bangladesh.

The committee has been appointed with immediate effect and includes Lalith Kaluperuma and Ranjith Madurasinghe.

“The appointment of the national selection committee was carried out by the minister citing recent failures encountered by the National Team in their Tours to New Zealand, India, Asia Cup in Bangladesh and the inconsistency of selection criteria,” said the official statement issued by the Sri Lanka board.

De Silva represented his country in 93 tests scoring 6,361 runs and made 9,284 runs in 308 One-Day Internationals. Sangakkara has been brandishing his talent with the bat in various Twenty20 leagues across the globe after being retired from international cricket in August last year.

Kaluwitharana played 49 Tests and 189 ODIs while Kaluperuma represented Sri Lanka in two Tests and four ODIs. Madurasinghe, the former Sri Lanka pacer, donned the Sri Lanka cap in three Tests and 12 ODIs.