Newly-appointed Sri Lankan T20I captain Dasun Shanaka has had to stay back in Sri Lanka citing visa issues and Angelo Mathews has been handed over the responsibility to lead the side in T20Is against West Indies.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to play 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, and 2 Tests against West Indies from Wednesday, March 3. The entire series will be played across two venues - Coolidge Cricket Ground and Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound - in Antigua. The three-match T20I series will conclude on March 7 and will be followed by the ODI series.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement, "Mathews was appointed by the national selectors as Dasun Shanaka, who was appointed as the T20 captain for the tour of West Indies, is yet to join the team owing to a delay in obtaining a U.S. transit visa."
Shanaka will join the team in the Caribbean islands once the issue is sorted out.
"Shanaka confronted this issue pursuant to the loss of his previous passport, which had a valid visa for the USA stamped on it. He is expected to join the team once the issue is resolved," the statement further read.
Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Angelo Mathews, as the stand-in captain, for the T20 International series vs West Indies.#SLvWI https://t.co/H05NcFxkq9
— Sri Lanka Cricket ???????? (@OfficialSLC) February 27, 2021
