Sri Lanka were dealt a blow ahead of the two-match Test series in Pakistan after pace spearhead Suranga Lakmal got ruled out of the tour with dengue. Lakmal has been replaced by youngster Asitha Fernando in the squad.
Fernando will, however, join the team only for the second Test as he is currently in Nepal as part of Sri Lanka’s squad for the South Asian Games. Lakmal, who has played 59 Tests so far, was initially named in the full-strength squad for the tour that will see Pakistan hosting a Test match for the first time in ten years. However, the 32-year-old contracted dengue, as a result of which he has been left out of the squad that departed to Pakistan on Sunday (December 8).
Fernando has never played a Test match for Sri Lanka and his only appearance for the island nation came in 2017 in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2017.
The first Test match will be played in Rawalpindi from December 11 with the second Test scheduled to begin from December 19 in Karachi.
