Siriwardene steps down from captaincy

Shashikala Siriwardene has relinquished captaincy of the Sri Lanka Women's team. Her first taste of leading the national side came in December 2005 and has since been in charge for 80 limited-overs matches.

As opposed to the men, the Sri Lanka Women's team endured a chastening time in their World T20 and finished in eighth place. Siriwardene was one among four batsmen from the team to score more than 80 runs in the six matches they played.

Prior to that she was crucial to her side's maiden series victory in T20 cricket, over India in January 2014. A memorable upset of defending champions England in the 2013 World Cup also features highly in her achievements. She had been named Women's Cricketer of the Year by SLC later in September. She led Sri Lanka to a series victory over West Indies in 2008 and secured a tri-series involving Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Siriwardene has this week been chosen to play for the first ever Rest of the World Women team against MCC Women in the Lord's bicentenary match on May 19.