COLOMBO: Sri Lanka have dropped Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal from their one-day squad for the five-match series against Pakistan starting on Saturday.

Herath managed just two wickets in the first two tests against Pakistan before being dropped from the squad for the series-deciding third match currently taking place in Pallekele.

Kaushal did better, claiming five wickets in Sri Lanka’s series-levelling victory in the second test in Colombo but was unable to retain his place in the ODI squad named on Tuesday.

Of those who did make the cut, uncapped spin-bowling all-rounders Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana were included in the 15-member squad to be led by Angelo Mathews.

Apart from the rookie left-armers, Sri Lanka also named off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake and leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna to bolster their slow bowling options.

Lasith Malinga will spearhead a pace attack that also includes Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and seam bowling all-rounder Thisara Perera.

Squad:

Angelo Mathews (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekuge Prasanna, Sachith Pathirana.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015

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