Thirimanne to lead Sri Lanka cricket team at Asiad

Sri Lankan cricket player Lahiru Thirimanne plays a shot during the Asia Cup final cricket match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Dhaka. File photo

Left handed batsman Lahiru Thirimanne will skipper the Sri Lanka cricket team at the Asian Games to be held at Incheon from Sep 19 to Oct 4.

The National Selection Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named a 15-member squad for the 17th Asiad with Thirimanna as the captain and another southpaw Upul Tharanga as vice-captain.

This is the second time that cricket has been included as a discipline at the Asian Games with the last one being four years ago at Guangzhou where Bangladesh took gold, Afghanistan silver and Pakistan bronze.

The squad: Lahiru Thirimanna (Captain), Upul Tharanga (vice—captain), Kithuruwan Vithanage, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Shehan Jayasooriya, Asela Goonerathne, Alankara Asanka, Kosala Kulasekara, Dilhara Lokuhetti, Chathuranga Kumara, Isuru Udana, Chathuranga De Silva, Jeewan Mendis, Ramith Rambukwella.