Sri Lanka made the uncommon move of appointing a fast bowler as captain, with paceman Suranga Lakmal to take the reins in Dinesh Chandimal's absence for the third Test against West Indies.

Chandimal was suspended for the Caribbean's maiden day-night Test match, which begins Saturday, after losing an appeal over ball-tampering charges.

That has forced Sri Lanka Cricket to find a new skipper for the landmark match, with 31-year-old quick Lakmal to become his nation's 16th Test captain.

West Indies are 1-0 in the series having won the opening Test in Trinidad before the ensuing draw in St Lucia.

The International Cricket Council upheld their guilty verdict after Chandimal was deemed to have "changed the condition of the ball" during the second Test.

Match referee Javagal Srinath had said the 28-year-old applied an artificial substance to the ball in violation of the ICC Code of Conduct.  

Chandimal was handed two suspension points and fined 100 per cent of his match fee for the offence. The points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20s.

He was suspected of using saliva and a sweet that he had in his mouth to tamper with the ball. His action was picked up on television images.

However, the third Test will be the first time Lakmal has captained Sri Lanka in any format.

Source: cricket.com.au

BDST: 1604 HRS, JUN 23, 2018
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