The Junior National Selectors have chosen Maduka Liyanapathirana (Lumbini), Yasodha Lanka (Richmond), Sanitha De Mel (St. Sebastian’s) and Akila Jayasundara (Trinity) along with 11 other players who toured Australia a month ago for the Under-19 Tri-nation cricket tournament.

The 16 member team, approved by the Ministry of Sports includes 11 players who took part in the five match Youth ODI series down under and the above five players who were in the 30 member Under-19 World Cup pool.

The Ti-nation tournament involving Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan will commence with the touring teams meeting in the curtain-raiser at Pallekele, on Sunday.

St. Peter’s College all rounder Chathura Peiris will lead the side and he is also the bowling spearhead of the team.

The selectors have retained Chathura Peiris, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Udara Jayasundara, Kithruwan Vithanage, Romesh Buddhika, Adeeesha Nanayakkara, Nipun Karunanayake, Danushka Gunathilaka, Charith Jayampathi, Saranga Rajaguru, Andry Berenger and Rushan Jaleel, who were part of the series winning team in Australia.

From the team that won the five match series 3-2 down under, the selectors have dropped Lahiru Jayaratne, Akshu Fernando, Denuwan Rajakaruna and Kasun Madusanka.

The 16 member squad has been selected for the first two matches and a new squad will be selected for the next two matches, Sunil Wickramanayake, the Chairman of the Junior Selection Committee told ‘The Island’.

Meanwhile, the rest of the players in the Sri Lanka Under-19 World Cup pool will get an opportunity to play against the touring teams in two practice matches to be played in Kandy, on Friday.

The squad for the first two matches:

Chathura Peiris(Captain), Bhanuka Rajapakse, Udara Jayasundara, Nipun Karunanayake, Kithruwan Vithanage, Romesh Buddhika, Adeeesha Nanayakkara, Danushka Gunathilaka, Charith Jayampathi, Saranga Rajaguru, Maduka Liyanapathirana, Andry Berenger, Yasodha Lanka, Sanitha De Mel, Rushan Jaleel and Akila Jayasundara.