COLOMBO, March 29: Star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and wicket-keeper/batsman Kumar Sangakkara have been included in an amended Sri Lanka squad for the quadrangular cricket series at Sharjah.

Muraliltharan and Sangakkara had been surprise omissions from 15-man squad selected last week that was rejected by Johnston Fernando, Minister of Sports.

Fernando refused to ratify the squad until the appointment of three new selectors, including Aravinda de Silva, who retired from all cricket after Sri Lanka’s World Cup semifinal.

The selectors met on Friday night, agreeing with the bulk of changes, but including Muralitharan, who assured the five-man panel of his fitness, and Sangakkara.

All-rounders Hasantha Fernando and Thilan Samaraweera, the ‘A’ team skipper, were the players to miss out from the original squad.

Three players were axed from the World Cup squad, including middle order duo Russel Arnold and Mahela Jayawardene and fast bowler Pulasthi Gunaratne.

The squad includes three players without One-day International experience: batsman Michael Vandort, wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene and leg-spinning all-rounder Kaushal Loukuarachchi.

The squad is scheduled to depart for the four-nation tournament also including Pakistan, Kenya and Zimbabwe on Tuesday morning. Sri Lanka play their first match against Pakistan on April 4.

Squad: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Hashan Tillekeratne, Jehan Mubarak, Avishka Gunawardene, Michael Vandort, Kumar Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayawardene, Kumar Dharmasena, Kaushal Loukuarachchi, Chaminda Vaas, Prabath Nissanka, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Buddhika Fernando.—PPI