Former skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been named in the national squad as Sri Lanka on Friday announced the squad for the landmark two-match Test series in Pakistan.
It will be the first time in more than a decade that a Test series will be held in Pakistan. 30-year-old Dinesh Chandimal last played a Test in Australia in February and will now play under Dimuth Karunaratne’s leadership in this series.
Chandimal was in the squad for the series against New Zealand as well but didn’t get to play a match.
In fact, half of Sri Lanka’s squad refused to go on their tour of Pakistan back in October citing security concerns. Karunatatne was one of those players. Sri Lanka lost the ODI series as expected but surprised everyone by winning the T20I series.
Pakistan last played a Test match at home back in March 2009. But the tour came to an unfortunate end due to a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus.
This tour, however, will kick off with the first Test at Rawalpindi on December 11.
Sri Lanka Squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lakshan Sandakan.