DUBAI – All-rounder Thisara Perera has been 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.
Perera was named as captain for the entire series by Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala on Saturday.
From the one-day squad that is currently in UAE, six players were retained while Dasun Shanka, 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.
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
Pakistan T20I squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammad Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
