Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

Sri Lanka has appointed Lasith Malinga as the captain of the team for the upcoming fourth One-Day International against India on Thursday (August 31).

Malinga will replace stand-in captain Chamara Kapugedera who had replaced regular skipper Upul Tharanga after the latter was handed a two-game ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to the slow over-rate offence in the second ODI.

Kapugedera has been ruled out of the penultimate game of the series after he aggravated a back injury during the third ODI on Sunday. The 30-year-old had been nursing a stiff back before the match but had gone on to bat and field in that do-or-die game for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will be desperately hoping that their fortune changes under a new captain. The series has already been decided with India taking a 3-0 lead in the five-match series, but it still holds a huge importance for the Islanders. Currently ranked eighth in ODIs, Sri Lanka needs to win the remaining two games at any cost to secure an automatic spot for the next World Cup.

Malinga is not new to captaincy, as the veteran pacer had led Sri Lanka to the historic World T20 title in 2014 and will be looking to inspire his teammates once again to help them get back to winning ways.

However, the task of leading Sri Lanka to a win against the high-flying Indians would not be an easy one at all. The hosts are missing some of their key players due to injuries with Kapugedera being the latest one.

Danushka Gunathilaka has been ruled out with a shoulder strain while Dinesh Chandimal, who was brought into the squad ahead of the third ODI, has been ruled out with a fractured finger. Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera and batting all-rounder Asela Gunaratne had earlier been ruled out of the series too.