SL rests top guns ahead of World T20

Colombo - Sri Lanka announced on Thursday skipper Lasith Malinga and four other senior players have been dropped from the Twenty20 squad to play India next month in a warm-up series for the World Twenty20.

T20 captain Malinga, Test and one-day international skipper Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath and Nuwan Pradeep were being rested because of injuries, Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Sri Lanka plays three matches in India - February 9 in Pune, February 12 in New Delhi and February 14 in Vizag.

The World T20 will be held at stadiums throughout India from March 8, with the final to be played at historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata in April 3.

Sri Lanka's 15-member squad for the India T20 series: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Seekuge Prasanna, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhanushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedera, Chameera Dushmantha, Dilhara Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Sachithra Senanayake and Jeffrey Vandersay.