Not mentally prepared to lead SL: Mathews

Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews on Wednesday said he was not mentally prepared to lead the side in the World Twenty20 cricket tournament after Lasith Malinga stepped down as captain at the last minute.

Malinga resigned on Monday citing knee injuries.

The 27-day tournament got underway in Nagpur on March 8 and will be played at eight venues across India with Eden Gardens in Kolkata scheduled to host the final on April 3. India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia are clubbed in Group 2 while South Africa, England, the West Indies and Sri Lanka are in Group 1.

“I was not mentally prepared to take up captaincy in the tournament. But I have the experience of captaining for quite a few years now so it is a challenge. Every tournament is a challenge. Every game is a challenge. Whether you are the captain or not you have a certain role to play in the team,” Mathews said at a press conference here.