Two new names in SL Women squad

Sri Lanka Women have named uncapped players Chathurani Gunawardene and Sugandika Kumari for their limited-overs tour of the UAE where they will play Pakistan Women in January. The other notable changes were the returns of Lasanthi Madushani and Dilani Manodara. They were included in place of Anushka Sanjeewani, Sanduni Abeywickrema, Imalka Mendis and Nilakshi de Silva, who were a part of the squad that played against the South Africa Women at home in October.

Gunawardene, 23, is a middle-order batsman and right-arm pacer, while 24-year-old Kumari is a left-arm spinner. Wicketkeeper Manodara had been left out of the squad for the South Africa series and has now come back for the UAE tour. She had last played ODIs and T20s on the tour of India in January this year. Nilakshi Silva, Sanduni Abeywickrama and Nipuni Hansika were named in the list of standby players.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan are scheduled to play three ODIs and two T20s in the UAE in January.

Sri Lanka Women's squad: Chamari Atapattu (capt), Hasini Perera (vice-captain), Lasanthi Madushani, Prasadini Weerakkody, Chamari Polgampola, Chathurani Gunawardene, Dilani Manodara, Shashikala Siriwardene, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Ama Kanchana, Sripali Weerakkody, Udeshika Prabodhani, Maduri Samuddika, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari. Standby players: Nilakshi de Silva, Sanduni Abeywickrama, Nipuni Hansika.

Pakistan Women, on the other hand, brought back 23-year-old pacer Iram Javed in their squad for the matches in the UAE. Nahida Khan also made a comeback after she was left out of the Australia tour and the Asian Games earlier this year. Javed has the experience of only one ODI that she played in July last year, against Ireland.

Unlike Sri Lanka, Pakistan did not make many changes and largely stuck to the squad that toured Australia in August-September, where they lost all their eight matches. Medium-pacer Kainat Imtiaz, who was not in the squad for Australia tour, but was part of the squad for Asian Games, was also named. Imtiaz has played only one ODI, in November 2011.

Aliya Riaz, Anum Amin, Sidra Amin and Rabiya Shah were named the reserve players.

Pakistan Women squad: Sana Mir, Nain Abidi, Bismah Maroof, Nida Dar, Javeria Khan, Sania Khan, Marina Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz, Asmavia Iqbal, Qanita Jalil, Sumaiya Siddiqi, Sadia Yousuf, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Iram Javed, Naila Nazir. Reserve players: Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Sidra Ameen,