Sri Lanka name T20 squad against Pakistan

Sports Desk: All-rounder Thisara Perera on Saturday was confirmed as captain of Sri Lanka's T20I side after several senior players including regular captain Upul Tharanga expressed their reluctance to travel to Lahore for the third and final T20 International later this month.

Following the players' refusal to travel to Lahore, Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala had told Cricbuzz that that one squad will be named for all three games and accordingly Perera was named as captain for the entire series.

From the one-day squad that is currently in UAE, six players were retained while Dasun Shanaka, who is in the Caribbean with the 'A' team will be flown back to UAE. Danushka Gunathilaka, who served a suspension for breach of discipline, has been brought back into the squad after the sentence was reduced along with other regulars of the shortest format of the game like Dilshan Munaweera, Isuru Udana and Chathuranga de Silva.

Before the Lahore boycott was brought to light, Chairman of Selectors Graham Labrooy said that Lasith Malinga will be back in the T20 squad after being dropped for the ODIs. Malinga had approached Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara to have separate teams for the UAE games and Pakistan leg of the series. However, the request was turned down by the Minister.

According to Sri Lanka's Sports Law, all teams selected to represent the country needs the approval of the Minister of Sports.

Kusal Perera, who is in the last stages of recovery from a hamstring injury that he sustained during Champions Trophy in June, was initially earmarked to lead the side, but he failed a fitness test early this week that ruled him out.

The first two T20s will take place in Abu Dhabi next week followed by the last game in Lahore on October 29.

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera (Captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva, Minod Bhanuka

Source: Agencies

risingbd/Dhaka/October 21, 2017/A K Azad