Sri Lanka recall Rajitha, Embuldeniya for South Africa tests
Cricket
Rajitha played the last of his 18 tests against Bangladesh in March
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka recalled seamer Kasun Rajitha and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya on Tuesday for the two-test series in South Africa starting later this month.
Rajitha played the last of his 18 tests against Bangladesh in March and the 31-year-old was left out of the squad that beat New Zealand 2-0 in spin-friendly home conditions in September.
Embuldeniya is in line to play his first test since July 2022 after being drafted into the 17-member squad led by Dhananjaya de Silva.
Prabath Jayasuriya, player of the series against New Zealand, will lead a Sri Lanka spin attack which also includes off-spinner Nishan Peiris, who took nine wickets in his debut test against the Black Caps.
The series begins in Durban on Nov. 27, while the second test is scheduled in Gqeberha from Dec. 5.
Sri Lanka are third in the World Test Championship standings behind Australia and India and need to win three of their remaining four matches, including two on home soil against Australia next year, to make the final.
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
