Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews ready for a comeback to international cricket - Reports

Former Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews has reportedly expressed his readiness to don the national jersey once again.

Mathews opted out of international cricket after a disagreement with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) over new contracts. The selection committee soon dropped all senior players and formed a new squad primarily featuring youngsters.

The issues have gradually been resolved, with one of the senior players, Dinesh Chandimal, returning to the Sri Lankan squad. There has been no official update from SLC or Angelo Mathews regarding the all-rounder's return.

However, a report in ESPNCricinfo claims that the former Sri Lankan captain has contacted the cricket governing body regarding a return.

As per the report, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will make the final call about this matter soon. However, fans should note that even if Angelo Mathews gets the green signal to return, he is unlikely to play for his country at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021.

Mathews could return to the field for Sri Lanka in their ICC World Test Championship series against West Indies, scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka during the final two months of the year.

When was the last time Angelo Mathews played for Sri Lanka?

Angelo Mathews in action during the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Angelo Mathews' last appearance in the global arena came on May 3, 2021 in a Test match against Bangladesh. The all-rounder scored 17 runs across two innings in that game while he remained wicketless with the ball.

Mathews has not played a single match since that Test. The 34-year-old may look to play some domestic games before returning to the international circuit. Mathews' return will be a big boost for Sri Lanka.

The island nation is currently playing a warm-up match against Bangladesh ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Sri Lanka will start their T20 World Cup campaign against Namibia on October 18.