Dilshan back in SL squad for Pakistan ODIs

Sri Lanka's cricket selectors today recalled in-form Tillakaratne Dilshan for an upcoming three-match one-day series in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Friday recalled in-form Tillakaratne Dilshan for an upcoming three-match one-day series in Pakistan.

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The middle-order batsman, who played his last one-dayer at home against India in August 2008, has so far scored 2,994 runs in 152 matches with one hundred and 14 half-centuries.

Dilshan was in impressive form during his team's 2-0 Test series victory in Bangladesh recently, scoring 162 and 143 in the final Test in Chittagong to become only the fourth Sri Lankan to hammer two centuries in the match. However, he was not named immediately in the squad for a triangular one-day series starting in Bangladesh tomorrow. Zimbabwe are the third side.

Fast bowler Dammika Prasad, part of the Test team in Bangladesh, was not included in the 15-man squad for Pakistan to be led by middle-order batsman Mahela Jayawardene. Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya retained his place in the one-day squad which had two young players in former under-19 captain Angelo Matthews and Thilina Kandamby.

Sri Lanka agreed to tour Pakistan after India cancelled the January-February series due to simmering political tensions between the two countries over the Mumbai attacks. The three one-dayers will be played in Karachi (January 21), Lahore (January 24) and Faisalabad (January 27). Sri Lanka will then return to Pakistan in mid-February for two Tests, in Karachi and Lahore.