COLOMBO, Sept 27: Sri Lanka have dropped pace man Lasith Malinga in favour of the more experienced Dilhara Fernando for their triangular series starting in Pakistan this week.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been called up as a third specialist spinner in support of leg-spinners Upul Chandana and Kaushal Lokuarachchi for the series which will also feature Zimbabwe.

Middle-order batsman Thilina Kandamby was selected to bolster the batting, which now includes eight frontline batsmen in a 15-man squad. Fernando was preferred to Malinga, an exciting young pace bowler who bowls with an unorthodox round-arm action, for the final quick bowler's slot.

SQUAD: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Saman Jayantha, Avishka Gunawardene, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando, Thilina Kandamby, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Lokuarachchi. -Reuters