Sangakkara to lead Sri Lankan team, Murali deputy

Sri Lankan News.Net
Wednesday 11th March, 2009 (IANS)

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara is set to captain the Sri Lankan cricket team with spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan likely to be named as his deputy, the sports minister said here Wednesday.

'The selection committee has sent me a list of players to be named for the future tournaments. I told my secretary that I am going to approve Kumar Sangakkara as the captain of the Sri Lanka team,' Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge told IANS.

'Murali will be appointed as the vice captain. I have decided on this,' he said.

The 31-year-old stylish left-hander is one of the world's premier wicketkeeper-batsmen having scored over 6,000 runs in both versions of the game.

Holding an average of 54.99 in Tests and 36.31 in the One-Day Internationals, Sangakkara have taken over 380 catches and done over 80 stumpings while keeping the wicket in both versions of the game.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene decided to step down after the aborted Pakistan tour saying that his successor needs at least 18 months to prepare the lions for the 2011 World Cup.

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