Premier allrounder Angelo Mathews has turned down a request from the selection committee to lead Sri Lanka in the upcoming World Cup, Cricket Age reliably learns.
As Sri Lanka is still searching for a captain for the World Cup, Mathews, highest scorer of the recently concluded domestic tournament, was the first choice captain as Sri Lanka look to turn around its fortunes. However, according to sources, the former skipper has refused to take on any responsibility while Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha remains in that position.
Mathews was publicly ridiculed by Hathurusingha after Sri Lanka made a first round exit from the Asia Cup last year and assigned the whole blame for the debacle.
Now, as Mathews has ruled himself out of the contention, test batsman Dimuth Karunaratne is most likely to take over as ODI captain for the World Cup.
Karunaratne, who has not played ODI cricket since the last Cricket World Cup in 2015, scored 165 at an average of 55 in the concluded Super Fours limited over tournament.
Sri Lanka will leave on May 7 to England for a one week camp before heading to Scotland to play two ODIs. Sri Lanka’s opening World Cup match is against New Zealand on June 1, 2019.
Sri Lanka’s World Cup fixtures
1 June: Vs New Zealand at Cardiff
4 June: Vs Afghanistan at Cardiff
7 June: Vs Pakistan at Bristol
11 June: Vs Bangladesh at Bristol
15 June: Vs Australia at The Oval
21 June: Vs England at Leeds
28 June: Vs South Africa at Chester-Le-Street
1 July: Vs West Indies at Chester-Le-Street
6 July – India – Leeds
