Big guns return for Sri Lanka, management names full-strength squad for Tests in Pakistan

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Friday named the full-strength squad for playing the two-match Test series in Pakistan later this year.

The series would be a part of the World Test Championship (WTC) and 120 points will be up for grabs.

The first Test would be played in Rawalpindi from December 11-15 while the second will be played in Lahore from December 19-23.

Sri Lanka squad for Test series: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan.

When Sri Lanka went to play the T20Is and ODIs in Pakistan earlier this year, few of the big names such as Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella had opted out of the tour due to security reasons.

The ten players were-- Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne.

When Lanka and Pakistan played the limited-overs leg earlier this year, the visitors had lost the ODI series 0-2 but they went on to win the T20I series 3-0.

This result in the T20Is also led to Sarfaraz Ahmed's sacking as the Pakistan skipper in T20Is and Tests.

In 2009, the Sri Lankan team was on their way to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a Test match with Pakistan, when terrorists fired indiscriminately at their bus. That attack left eight people dead and injured seven Sri Lankan players and staff.

Since then, international cricket had eluded Pakistan with no high-profile team visiting the country for a full-length tour.

This is the first time in ten years, that Pakistan would be playing a Test match on their home soil.