Galle, Jan 24 (Reporter) Sri Lanka has named an 18-man squad for their upcoming series against Australia, marking the conclusion of their 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The two-match series, part of the Warne-Murali Test Series, will be held at Galle, with the first Test scheduled to start on January 29. In a bid to address injury concerns, Sri Lanka has included key players Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, and Pathum Nissanka in the squad. However, Nissanka’s ongoing groin injury makes him the least likely to feature in the series. Despite these concerns, the selectors have opted for a larger squad to provide cover as the series approaches. Sri Lanka, currently sitting fifth in the WTC standings, could move up in the table with a strong performance, potentially surpassing New Zealand and India. The visitors, Australia, have already secured a spot in the WTC final against South Africa but will be without captain Pat Cummins, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Stand-in captain Steve Smith has been included in the squad, bringing confidence to the team after recovering from an elbow injury. Team: Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake. Fixtures: 1st Test: 29th January – 2nd February 2025, Galle; 2nd Test: 6th – 10th February 2025, Galle...////...