Kusal Perera, two uncapped players in SL squad for fifth ODI

Sri Lanka have recalled Kusal Perera and Dimuth Karunaratne and have named two uncapped players in the squad for the final ODI against South Africa in Colombo on Wednesday. Three senior players have been rested while and two other players have been dropped. With the series safe after the victory on Sunday, the Sri Lanka selectors have turned their focus to blooding emerging players, which has been a priority for the panel this year.

Karunaratne, left-arm spinner and allrounder Chaturanga de Silva and left-arm seam bowler Vimukthi Perera are the new additions to the squad. All three recently travelled to the West Indies with the A team, with Karunaratne in particular, excelling on the tour. He has been Sri Lanka's Test match opener since November last year. Karunaratne last played an ODI in 2011 on Sri Lanka's tour of England and Scotland

Upul Tharanga is the most high-profile exclusion from the squad, after two successive failures with the bat in the series. Tharanga had been recalled to the side for the recent tri-series in the West Indies, and had struck his highest ODI score of 174 not out on the trip, but failed to recreate that form in the following matches. Middle-order batsman Jehan Mubarak has also been left out.

Mahela Jayawardene, Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga will be rested for the game and Nuwan Kulasekara continues to be unavailable as he recovers from a finger injury. Sri Lanka leads the series 3-1.

Squad for fifth ODI: Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Angelo Perera, Vimukthi Perera, Chaturanga de Silva, Shaminda Eranga, Ajantha Mendis, Sachithra Senanayake, Suranga Lakmal.