Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the test series against South Africa. He will return for the series against England as Sri Lanka Cricket has announced a 22-member squad for the upcoming test series with the two countries. Wanindu Hasaranga, Minod Bhanuka, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka and Santhush Gunathilaka are the five uncapped players in the team. Angelo Mathews is part of the squad but he will not tour South Africa as he is recovering from a hamstring injury.

The squad picked is the same which trained for 10 days in Pallekele before the Lanka Premier League. Mathews picked up his injury in the LPL as well. Apart from Mathews’ injury, the team has a few more injury concerns ahead of the two test series. Opening batsman Oshada Fernando is still recovering from an ankle injury and is set to miss the first Test versus South Africa, with Kusal Perera likely to open.

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Angelo Mathews Ruled Out of SA Tests

“We will need Oshada for the England series too so it is better to keep him with us so that he can bat and get some practice. The only thing is, he will not be able to do other things on the field till the end of the month. We are coming straight to the England series at home from the South African bubble so it is better for Oshada to be in the side so that the physios can attend to him,” Ashantha de Mel, the head of the national selection committee, was quoted as saying by Daily FT.

The players and staff will leave for South Africa on December 18. They have a three-day practice match scheduled in Benoni from December 20 before the opening Test which begins on Boxing Day in Centurion. This is their first cricketing assignment after 11 months.

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Sri Lanka Squad for SA, England Tests

Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Oshada Fernando, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Minod Bhanuka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lasith Embuldeniya, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, Santhush Gunathilake, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.