Thisara captain for T20I against England

All-rounder Thisara Perera will lead Sri Lanka’s T20I team against England in the one-off contest on Saturday, with uncapped ambidextrous spinner Kamindu Mendis also in the 15-member squad.

Mendis, a former Under 19 national captain from Richmond College Galle, was in the Sri Lanka Board XI that played a warm-up against the English earlier this month, and even though the all-rounder has had limited outings in the main domestic tournaments he has found himself with an outside chance of an international debut.

The most notable changes to the team that beat South Africa in Sri Lanka’s last T20I was the inclusion of regular fast-bowlers Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera with Lahiru Kumara, and Binura Fernando, neither of whom featured in the final XI of that match, missing out.

Other omissions include that of experienced opener Upul Tharanga, allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya and former captain Angelo Mathews, with Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella included in their place.

Squad: Thisara Perera - Captain, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Dusmantha Chameera, Akila Dhananjaya, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sadakan

Standby: Amila Aponso, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shehan Jayasuriya, Shehan Madushanka