Veteran allrounder handed leadership for three matches against Pakistan after Tharanga pulls out.

Thisara Perera, the allrounder, was named the captain of Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 International side for the three-match series against Pakistan on Saturday.

The first two matches of the series will be played in the United Arab Emirates, but the last match will take place in Lahore, Pakistan. Upul Tharanga, the regular skipper, had pulled out of the series over security fears.

Perera recently toured Pakistan as part of the World XI side last month, and was the obvious candidate to lead Sri Lanka after Tharanga pulled out. The other regular faces who will be missing from the T20I series include Lasith Malinga (pulled out), Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera (injured), Niroshan Dickwella, Chamara Kapugedara and Suranga Lakmal (withdrew).

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera (Captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.