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Sri Lanka Announce 18-Man Squad For Bangladesh Test Series

Sri Lanka Men’s Cricket Team have announced their squad for the Test series against Bangladesh which is scheduled to begin next month from 15th May in Chattogram.

The inclusions of uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kamil Mishara, spin-bowling allrounder Kamindu Mendis, left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka and legspinner Suminda Lakshan are among eight changes to Sri Lanka’s Test squad .

Returning to the Test fold alongside them are batter Oshada Fernando, allrounder Ramesh Mendis, and fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando.

Suranga Lakmal, who ended his international career following the tour of India earlier this year, makes way, as do fellow quicks Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera, who is being rested from red-ball cricket until the T20 World Cup later this year.

There is also no room for legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, nor batters Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka and Lahiru Thirimanne. Nissanka is still recovering from the back injury that he suffered during the tour of India, while Asalanka has been asked to focus more on white-ball cricket.

Thirimanne, meanwhile, is understood to have been selected in the initial squad, but had requested for three months of paternity leave to be with his wife and newborn in Australia. The 32-year-old had an underwhelming tour of India, but had been among Sri Lanka’s in-form red-ball batters before that.

Another player who was initially selected but requested to be omitted was Roshen Silva. The 33-year-old, who hasn’t played a Test since 2019, is understood to have travelled to play in the UK without an NOC from SLC. He has been replaced by Kamindu Mendis.

Even with those exclusions, the batting group remains heavy on experience, with the playing XI likely to consist of most – if not all – of Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva. Mishara, Oshada, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis and Kamindu add further heft.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests against Bangladesh, the first of which will begin in Chattogram on May 15. The action will then move to Mirpur for the second Test from May 23.

The Test series will be part of the ICC World Test Championship from 2021 to 2023.

Sri Lanka’s previous Test series occurred earlier this year against India. The tourists were severely outplayed by Rohit Sharma’s side in India, losing the Test series 0-2, including an innings defeat.

Sri Lanka Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne(Captain), Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Suminda Lakshan, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya

Bangladesh Squad: Mominul Haque (Captain), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Kumar Das, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam (subject to fitness)

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