Cricket: Sri Lanka's De Silva grieving at home after father's death

(Reuters) - Sri Lanka batsman Dhananjaya de Silva will not travel with the team for their West Indies tour following his father’s killing, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Friday.

Sri Lankan media reported local politician Ranjan De Silva, 62, was killed by an unidentified gunman on Thursday, just a day before his son was to depart to the Caribbean for the three-test tour starting June 6.

“We are extremely shocked, perturbed and saddened by the great loss suffered by Dhananjaya and his family,” SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said in a statement.

“Sri Lanka Cricket will take every measure to support Dhananjaya at this time of sorrow and grief for him and his family, while giving him time to overcome the great pain and suffering caused by this tragedy.”

The first of three tests against the West Indies begins at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain.