Embuldeniya returns for Sri Lanka’s two-match test series in South Africa
Embuldeniya returns for Sri Lanka’s two-match test series in South Africa
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya reacts after India’s Ravichandran Ashwin hit a boundary on his delivery during the second day of the second cricket test match between India and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, India, March 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya acknowledges after taking six New Zealand wickets during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya reacts after India’s Ravichandran Ashwin hit a boundary on his delivery during the second day of the second cricket test match between India and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, India, March 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya reacts after India’s Ravichandran Ashwin hit a boundary on his delivery during the second day of the second cricket test match between India and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, India, March 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, File)
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya acknowledges after taking six New Zealand wickets during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE -Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya acknowledges after taking six New Zealand wickets during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Lasith Embuldeniya will return after more than two years away from test cricket after being selected in Sri Lanka’s squad to play two test matches in South Africa starting later this month.
The 17-member squad named Tuesday is led by Dhananjaya de Silva and includes nine batters, three specialist spinners and five pace bowlers.
The last of Embuldeniya’s 17 test caps for Sri Lanka came in June 2022 against Australia.
He is the second left-arm spinner in the squad along with Prabath Jayasuriya, who took 18 wickets in Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series win against New Zealand in September.
Opening batter Oshada Fernando also returns after nearly a year out of the squad, while off spinner Ramesh Mendis has not been named.
The first test starts in Durban on Nov. 27. with the second test at Port Elizabeth from Dec. 5.
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Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket