SL vs SA 2018: Suranga Lakmal is expected to lead Sri Lanka after Chandimal's exclusion from the team

The Test series between Sri Lanka and South Africa will start from July 12.

Suranga Lakmal | Source PTI

Sri Lankan seamer, Suranga Lakmal is expected to be named as Sri Lanka's captain for the two-match Test series against South Africa that will begin on July 12, after coaching staff alongside Dinesh Chandimal face a minimum ban of two-Test matches.

Dinesh Chandimal who had to miss the third Test match against Windies for ball tampering faces further punishment along with the Chandika Hathurusingha and manager Asanka Gurusinha.  Earlier Chandimal pleaded innocent for the ball-tampering charge in the second Test match against Windies but was refused by Michael Beloff.

In the absence of Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka went on to win the third Test match against Windies by 4 wickets to level up the Test series 1-1. Suranga Lakmal played exceptionally well for his five wickets in the match. The Judicial Commissioner will be declaring the sanction on July 10, two days prior to the Test series between Sri Lanka and South Africa.

"We have come to terms with the fact that we will be without the captain. It is a matter of how many matches he will miss. We will progress with Lakmal as there needs to be continuity," a Sri Lanka Cricket official told Cricbuzz.  

"I am disturbed about the team not taking the field. It was wrong not to take the field. This should not have happened. We regret the team not going onto the field for two hours. We should maintain discipline of the highest order. SLC is committed to maintain spirit of cricket," Faizer Mustapaha, the Minister of Sports said during a media briefing after the team's return to Colombo from the Caribbean.

Dimuth Karunaratne alongside with Angelo Mathews will be joining the Sri Lankan cricket team ahead of the Test series against South Africa.

 
 

By Kunal Kataria - 02 Jul, 2018

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