Sri Lanka win the toss, opt to bowl in third test

PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka won the toss under sunny skies in Pallekele and chose to bowl on a track that had been under covers for a while.

There was heavy rain on the eve of the Test and both captains reckoned there was enough moisture in the pitch to assist their fast bowlers, with Sri Lanka getting an opportunity to gain an early advantage. The conditions in Pallekele also prompted Sri Lanka and Pakistan to alter their team combinations - both went in with three seamers.

One forced change for Sri Lanka was the absence of Tillakaratne Dilshan, who requested to be released from the team for this Test due to his two children being unwell. Dilshan scored a century in each of the two Tests prior to this and has been replaced by Dinesh Chandimal, who will open the batting. Sri Lanka also dropped Nuwan Pradeep, who was off-colour at the SSC, and brought in Dilhara Fernando. Offspinner Suraj Randiv made way for medium-pace allrounder Thisara Perera.

Pakistan made two changes, leaving out left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who picked up a four-for at the SSC. Also out was seamer Aizaz Cheema, one of the weak links in Pakistan's attack in the previous Test. Umar Gul, having recovered from ankle injury, returned to the XI and so did Mohammad Sami, who bowled with plenty of pace and sharpness during the limited-overs series.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Saeed Ajmal, 11 Junaid Khan.

Sri Lanka: Tharanga Paranavitana, Dinesh Chandimal, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando.