Kusal Mendis named Sri Lanka Test captain for two-match Pakistan series in November
Sri Lanka have announced a 15-man squad for the two-Test tour of Pakistan, with Kusal Mendis taking over as captain after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down.
The Sri Lanka cricket team will tour Pakistan in November and play a two-match Test series there. Sri Lanka have announced a 15-member squad for the series. The biggest news concerns the captaincy: Kusal Mendis has been named Sri Lanka's new Test captain.
Dhananjaya de Silva had given up the captaincy some time ago, a decision that came suddenly. The selectors then placed their trust in the experienced batter Kusal Mendis and handed him the leadership of the Test side. This will be Kusal Mendis's first series as Test captain.
The selectors have made several big changes to the squad for this important tour. Some senior players have been left out. It has been said that some experienced players did not get a place because of poor form and fitness. On the other hand, some new faces who have performed well in domestic cricket have been given a chance. Some players have also returned to the national side. The selectors have thus given both young and experienced players a platform to show their ability.
The series will begin on 9 November in Rawalpindi and will be played between 9 and 21 November. The series is being played as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). The two-match series is very important for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka in terms of the championship. Cricket fans will be watching how the Sri Lanka team performs under the new captain.
The Sri Lanka squad is: Kusal Mendis (captain), Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness clearance), Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Anjala Bandara (wicketkeeper), Sonal Dinusha, Kesara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayake, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka and Eshan Malinga.
