India, Dec. 20 -- Sri Lanka on Friday named Dasun Shanaka as skipper of its preliminary 25-member squad for the T20 World Cup as the co-hosts sacked Charith Asalanka as the leader of side. Pramodaya Wickramasingha, who is back as the chairman of selectors, said Asalanka's poor batting form and Shanaka's experience in playing three previous World Cups were factors in making the decision.

Asalanka was speculated to be out-of-favour since he abandoned the white-ball tour to Pakistan last month over safety concerns following a suicide bomb explosion in Islamabad that killed nine people. "Shanaka's role will be of an all-rounder. When I stopped being a selector Shanaka was the captain. Charith (Asalanka) was in our long term plans then," said...