Angelo Mathews Makes Himself Available For Sri Lanka Selection

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Former captain Angelo Mathews has made himself available for selection in future Sri Lanka teams, the country's board confirmed on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old communicated his intention to Sri Lanka Cricket, ending the deadlock that began when the board revealed a new central contract structure in July this year.

"With immediate effect, Mathews will join the squads training at the High-Performance Center, focusing on future international tours," Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

Mathews had made himself unavailable for selection earlier this year, saying he was disappointed by the treatment he and other seniors had received during a months-long contract standoff.

Notably, Sri Lanka's players had refused to sign contracts for their 2021-22 season over an alleged lack of transparency in the grading system as well as compensation that was considered inadequate. However, after a dialogue with the board, 18 players inked a deal till the end of 2021 with only Mathews remaining steadfast with his decision.

The all-rounder was subsequently not considered for selection for the white-ball series against India and the series thereafter including the forthcoming T20 World Cup.

Mathews, a veteran of 386 internationals, last represented Sri Lanka in April this year in the two-Test series at home against Bangladesh.