Sri Lanka players told to get fit or get out

Colombo: The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday warned the national cricket team to get fit in three months or get booted out.

The deadline came after the squad was found to be unfit for the series against Zimbabwe which starts Friday.

"No one has a satisfactory level of fitness, but I have made an exception this time," sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera said.

Players are selected by an independent panel for the national team, but the sports minister must give final approval before they can represent the country.

Jayasekera said no member of the 13-man squad met required international fitness standards and noted that high levels of injuries were due to poor endurance.

The typical body fat amount for a cricketer was 16 percent, but most Sri Lankan players had over 26 percent, Jayasekera said.

He has warned any player with a body fat percentage over 16 will not be allowed to represent the country.