COLOMBO — Sri Lanka has dropped fast bowler Lasith Malinga from its squad of 15 players for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 series against India.

Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement Friday that it has "rested" Malinga, who was part of the Bangladesh Premier League until earlier this month

It is the second successive series for which the 34-year-old fast bowler has been overlooked. He last played for Sri Lanka in the only Twenty20 match against India last July and was dropped for the One-Day Internationals as well as Twenty20 games against Pakistan played in the United Arab Emirates.

Malinga was also not considered for the current ODI series in India.

The omission may be a sign that the Sri Lankan cricket authorities are looking beyond Malinga, who has been a match winner for his team since making his debut 13 years ago.

Malinga made his international debut in 2004 in a test match against Australia and with his round-arm slinging action and pinpoint yorkers, established himself as one of the most feared bowlers in international cricket.

Frequent injuries meant he cut short his test career with 101 wickets and concentrated on shorter formats and he has been a first-choice fast bowler for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League as well as several other Twenty20 franchises around the world.

He has captured 301 and 90 wickets in ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals respectively.

The team, led by Thisara Perera, will play three Twenty20 matches against India starting December 20.

The squad includes three fast bowlers in Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Vishwa Fernando.

The squad: Thisara Perera (captain), Upul Tharanga Angelo Mathews Kusal Perera Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Asela Gunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Chaturanga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Vishwa Fernando. — AP