Sri Lanka names Chandimal in squad for key Pakistan Test series

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka on Friday gave former skipper Dinesh Chandimal a new chance to fight his way back into the national team by naming him in the squad to play a landmark two-match Test series in Pakistan.

The matches will be the first Tests played in Pakistan for more than a decade because of security fears.

The 30-year-old Chandimal, who played his last Test in Australia in February, will be in a squad now led by Dimuth Karunaratne, the cricket board said.

He was in a squad that played New Zealand in August but did not play a match.

Half of the 16-man squad refused to go on a tour of Pakistan in October citing security fears. Sri Lanka lost the three one-day internationals but won the three T20 matches.

New skipper Karunaratne was one of the eight players who stayed away from the tour.

Pakistan's last home Test match was against Sri Lanka in March 2009. The tour was halted by a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus.

The first Test of this series will be in Rawalpindi from Dec. 11. Sri Lanka leave for Pakistan three days earlier.

Sri Lanka squad

Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lakshan Sandakan. — AFP