Herath to miss Pakistan ODIs

Rangana Herath will miss the five-match ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE due to personal reasons, Sri Lanka Cricket has said. Herath had remained in Sri Lanka after having been rested for the Twenty20s, but was picked in the one-day squad and had planned to travel to UAE this week. He will now only join the Sri Lanka team ahead of the Test series, which begins on December 31.

Ajantha Mendis, who is currently with the Twenty20 squad, will remain in the UAE as Herath's replacement for the ODIs.

Herath will be the second Sri Lanka player to miss the limited-overs matches for personal reasons, with Mahela Jayawardene also having ruled himself out of the Twenty20s and one-dayers, after having become a father early in the month.

The teams play their first ODI on December 18, in Sharjah. Three Tests are scheduled to follow the one-dayers.