Perera to captain Sri Lanka T20 squad for Pakistan series

All-rounder Thisara Perera will lead a 16-man Sri Lankan squad for the three-match Twenty20series against Pakistan announced yesterday, the last of which will beplayed in Lahore. Th Sri Lankan team will return to Pakistan for thefirst time since gunmen attacked their bus in Lahore in March 2009,forcing international teams to shun tours of Pakistan over securityfears.The first two matches will be played in Abu Dhabi on October 26 and 27before the Sri Lankan team tours Pakistan in a fly-in, fly-outarrangement of 24 hours. The last match will be played in Lahore onOctober 29.Sri Lankan limited overs captain Upul Tharanga, fast bowler LasithMalinga, current team spearhead Suranga Lakmal, and batsmen NiroshanDickwella and Chamara Kapugedara reportedly withdrew from the tour ofPakistan over security fears.  Malinga was not selected for the ongoing one-day series in UAE but hadreportedly requested the Sri Lankan ministry to chose a different teamfor Lahore, which was rejected. Lakmal and Kapugedara were part of the squad which was attacked duringthe second Test in Lahore eight years ago, which left eight peoplekilled and seven visiting team members and support staff were injured.The 28-year-old Perera, appointed captain for the first time, touredPakistan as member of a World XI for a three-match Twenty20international series played in Lahore last month.The World XI series was part of Pakistan Cricket Board’s effort torevive international cricket in the country, which also included thestaging of the Pakistan Super League final in March this year.Pakistan also hosted Zimbabwe for a five-match limited overs series in 2015 but bigger teams  have refused to tour there.That forced Pakistan to play their home matches in neutral venues in UAE. Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera,Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, MahelaUdawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, LahiruGamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, JeffreyVandersay and Chathuranga de Silva, Minod Bhanuka.