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Sri Lanka have named a 15-member squad for their upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Pakistan.
The Asian side will travel to Pakistan for two Tests from November 9, with the matches taking place in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Kusal Mendis will captain the side, while experienced batter Pathum Nissanka has been included in the touring party pending a return to full fitness before the first Test. Nissanka missed out on India's tour of Sri Lanka in August as he continued to recover from a wrist injury, and his absence was felt as India registered a 1-0 series triumph across the two-game series. There is a recall to Sri Lanka's Test squad for Dilshan Madushanka, while Eshan Malinga has also been handed a call-up. There is no room for right-hander opener Lahiru Udara despite his recent 188 against the West Indies in June, while Niroshan Dickwella is also left out. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Anjala Bandara has also been included in the squad. In 31 first-class games, Anjala, 22, has made 2,239 runs in 46 innings at an average of 65.85, with seven centuries and fifties each, with a best score of 200*. Sri Lanka are in seventh place in the WTC standings with a win, two losses and three draws, with a points percentage of 33.33. Pakistan sits at the bottom with a points percentage of 4.63, having won two and lost seven Tests in this cycle. Their recent outing was a 0-3 whitewash against England in the UK. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, suffered a 1-0 loss to India at home, as twin tons from Sonal Dinusha helped the Lankans eke out an admirable draw in the second Test, denying the two-time WTC finalists a clean sweep. Sri Lanka squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Pathum Nissanka, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha, Dhananjaya De Silva, Anjala Bandara, Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayaka, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga. (ANI)
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