Rambukwella among WC probables

Sri Lanka have named slow-bowling allrounder Ramith Rambukwella in their 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup, ahead of Chaturanga de Silva, who performs a similar role. Seam-bowling allrounder Farveez Maharoof, and chinaman bowler Lakshan Sandakan, have also been picked.

A tall offspinner, Rambukwella made his international debut last year against New Zealand in a T20I, when he took 1 for 19 from four overs in Pallekele. He averages 34.92 with the ball in List-A cricket, and 16.91 with the bat. He has also been a recent fixture in Sri Lanka A's limited-overs sides, and in 16 one-dayers with the A team, he averages 18.10 with the bat, and 42.30 with the ball.

Left-arm spinner Chaturanga de Silva, meanwhile, has taken 21 wickets at 25 in 18 appearances for the A team, and has also struck two fifties, to average 20.13 with the bat. His international performances have not been as impressive, however. In six ODIs, he has taken five wickets at 46.60, and has a high-score of 44.

When Rambukwella had originally been selected in a national T20 squad in early 2013, Sri Lanka's chief selector defended that inclusion, stating: "Ramith is a left-hand batsman who bowls right arm offspin, who can clear the boundaries and can hit hard. He's someone who can play Twenty20 cricket in the middle order, and you need players like that in this format. We're bringing him on as a batting allrounder who can bowl offspin."

In July 2013, Rambukwella was fined half of his A-team tour earnings, after causing mild panic on a flight to the UK, when he attempted to open the cabin doors at 35,000 feet. He is the son of Sri Lanka's mass media minister Keheliya Rambukwella.