– DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 20 (Reuters) –
Uncapped paceman Kanishka Alvitigala and seamer Dhammika Prasad
have been added to Sri Lanka’s beleaguered squad ahead of the
second test against South Africa starting on Dec. 26.
Alvitigala, 25, and Prasad, 28, who has played in eight
tests will provide a boost to a Sri Lanka team who were thrashed
by an innings and 81 runs in the first test in Centurion.
“Dhammika Prasad and Kanishka Alvitigala will be available
for selection for the second test in Durban on December 26 and
for the final test at Cape Town scheduled for January 3,” Sri
Lanka Cricket said in a statement on Tuesday.
It was initially understood that Nuwan Kulasekara would join
up with the squad in South Africa but his inclusion was not
approved by Sri Lanka’s sports ministry.
“The selectors felt that Kulasekara was coming off an injury
and it would have been premature to rush him back into the
team,” Sri Lanka team manager Anura Tennekoon told Reuters.
Sri Lanka have been hit by injuries to their seam attack
with Kulasekara, Prasad, Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal all
injured before the tour while Nuwan Pradeep picked up a
hamstring injury during a warm-up match.
(Reporting by Jason Humphries, editing by Justin Palmer
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