COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has dropped Lasith Malinga from the One-day Internat­ional squad to face Pakistan in their five-match series starting next week, raising doubts if the fast bowler will feature in the team’s plans for the 2019 World Cup.

Malinga, feared for his awkward action and toe-crushing yorkers, returned to international cricket during June’s Champions Tro­p­hy following a knee injury that kept him out of the World Twenty20 last year.

But the 34-year-old has not been as effective since his return and has managed 10 wickets from 13 ODIs since his return. He has taken 301 wickets from 204 matches in his career.

Sri Lanka, who lost 5-0 to India at home recently, will also be without former captain and all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who is struggling with a calf injury.

The first ODI will be played on Oct 13 in Dubai with the teams also slated to play a three-match Twenty20 International series.

Squad: Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chand­imal, Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwa­rdana, Chamara Kapug­edera, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Vis­hwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vand­ersay.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2017