Sri Lanka Lose Lakmal To Ankle Injury

Sri Lanka Lose Lakmal To Ankle Injury

Suranga Lakmal has become the latest Sri Lankan to succumb to injury ahead of the tour to South Africa

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An ankle injury has ruled Sri Lankan pace bowler Suranga Lakmal out of the Test series in South Africa in another blow to the injury-ravaged tourists.

He joins Dammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga and Prasanna Jayawardene on an injury list that is hampering Sri Lanka as they search for a first Test win since the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan.

After adding experienced batsman Thilan Samaraweera to the squad as cover for Mahela Jayawardene, the selectors have decided against naming a replacement player for Lakmal, meaning the touring party drops back to 16 players.

Chanaka Welagedara, Dilhara Fernando and Nuwan Pradeep are the three remaining specialist fast bowlers in the squad while all-rounder Tissera Perera also travels.

Lakmal has played ten Tests since making his debut against the West Indies in 2010, taking 18 wickets at 54.66 while he also featured in 12 One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals.

Sri Lanka play three Tests and five ODIs in South Africa.

Sri Lanka Test squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Angelo Mathews (vice-captain), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welagedara, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Tissera Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath

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