Rally for Sri Lanka ex-skipper flops

A campaign by fans of Sri Lanka's World Cup-losing skipper Kumar Sangakkara to demand his reinstatement ended in a flop on Saturday, with only a handful of supporters turning up.

Sangakkara loyalists had organised the demonstration as a Facebook event, with 6,512 fans signing up to attend, but reporters counted only 17 people at Colombo's Independence Square public park.

"It is possible that some of the fans may have gone to another park because of a misunderstanding about the location," an organiser told reporters.

The "peaceful demonstration to take Sanga back to the captaincy" urged supporters to wear blue or white shirts, the colours of the national team, and carry the national flag.

Sangakkara, 33, quit one-day captaincy earlier this week but said he will stay on as Test captain for an interim period for the forthcoming series with England, and possibly Australia.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, currently in India to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, has said he has no plans yet to retire as a player.

Sangakkara's deputy, Mahela Jayawardene, has also given up his position and the three-member team of selectors followed suit, leaving Sri Lankan cricket in limbo.