Sri Lanka announce ODI, T20 squads for Pakistan tour

The Sri Lankan cricket board has announced its squads for its upcoming one-day International (ODI) and T20 series against Pakistan.

In a press statement on Wednesday, Sri Lanka Cricket said approval for the squads was given by "the Minister of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports Honorable Harin Fernando to take part in the forthcoming Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan".

Sri Lanka will tour Pakistan to play three ODIs and three T20I matches from September 27 to October 9.

ODI squad

Lahiru Thirimanne (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumara.

T20 squad

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Angelo Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Minod Bhanuka, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumara 

The announcement comes days after at least 10 Sri Lankan players, including T20 skipper Lasith Malinga and former captains Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera, pulled out of the upcoming tour of Pakistan citing security concerns.

The other seven who opted out were Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal, and Dimuth Karunaratne.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, however, said the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series would be held according to schedule, and that "it should not make a difference if senior [Sri Lankan] players come or not." It said that the cricketers opting out of the series was an internal matter for the SLC, which would choose the players for the series.