Confident of playing for India in 2019 World Cup: Sreesanth

Though he is yet to get any positive response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on lifting of the life ban imposed on him by the governing body for alleged fixing, former Indian speedster S.Sreesanth expressed confidence of representing the country in the 2019 World Cup.

Sreesanth visited the famed Sree Krishna Temple here on Tuesday, his first public visit after being exonerated of all charges in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) spot fixing scandal by the Delhi Court last month.

Even though the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA)'s efforts to persuade the BCCI to lift the ban has not yielded the desired results so far, Sreesanth is not losing hope. The BCCI earlier announced that the right-arm pacer will remained banned from cricket despite the court's verdict.

"I will wait for the BCCI decision as I know there are people there who have a heart in the BCCI. If not today, tomorrow, I know the ban will be lifted. I have waited all this while and I know I will through performance make it to the Indian team for the 2019 World cup. And if not, I will at least play for the Kerala team," said Sreesanth.

The 32-year-old said he has started training. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy recently expressed the hope that the BCCI ban will be lifted.

Sreesanth was the second Keralite to represent the country and has featured in 27 Tests (87 wickets), 53 One-Day Internationals (75) and 10 Twenty20s (seven wickets).