COLOMBO, MAY 17: "De Silva may be asked to open the batting with skipperSanath Jayasuriya, giving him ample opportunities to exploit the gaps in the first 15 overs," the State-run `Daily News' newspaper said today."He could also play the sheetanchor's role if wellsettled," the newspaper added.The star middle-order batsman, veteran of 264 one-dayinternationals, has been included in the 14-member Sri Lankan squad for the May 28-June 7, four-nation tournament along with new cap Kaushalya Weeraratne, a 19-year-old all-rounder.But former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and fast bowlerPromodaya Wickremasinghe were omitted from the squad for medical reasons. The duo were recovering from surgeries to thumb and shoulder respectively.The change in the opening pair was a major tactical one asthe team previously opened with the Jayasuriya-wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana combination, which has proved to be highly successful in the 1996 World Cup in the subcontinent.After a series of failures, the team experiemented bypromoting middle order batsman Marvan Atapattu to open with Jayasuriya. But the partnership also did not prove much of a success.Coach Dev Whatmore, who was Chief tactician of the teamthat won the 1996 World Cup, had said a few months ago he would not hesitate to play Jayasuriya down the order if the skipper failed to deliver.The Sri Lankan team was scheduled to leave for Dhaka onMay 25. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the other countries in the fray in the tournament.The team: Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Mahela Jayawardene(vice-capt), Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, T M Dilshan, Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), Indika De Seram, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zyosa,, K S C de Silva, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Mithiah Muralitharan, Upul Chandana.
