Jayasuriya unable to play for Warwickshire

Warwickshire have confirmed that Sanath Jayasuriya won't be joining them for the Twenty20 Cup next month, after Sri Lanka recalled him to their Asia Cup squad for the forthcoming tournament in Pakistan.

Last week, following some spectacular feats of scoring for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge intervened to have Jayasuriya included in the latest squad, leaving him unable to honour his deal with Warwickshire.

Warwickshire are seeking an immediate replacement although Ashley Giles, their director of cricket, admitted Jayasuriya's call-up came as something of a surprise. "The news regarding Sanath comes out of the blue and is disappointing especially given his recent form in the IPL," said Giles. "We will now look to see who might be a suitable replacement."

Jayasuriya retired from Test cricket following Sri Lanka's victory over England in Kandy last December. He was omitted from the one-day squad which faced West Indies last month, leading to speculation that his international career was over, but his recent Twenty20 performances have caused the selectors to have a rethink.