Suspended Sri Lankans back to take on Aust

They were caught on camera during a night out in Bristol in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK last year.

Their suspensions were lifted earlier this month and Mendis and Gunathilaka were included in the Dasun Shanaka-led squad which will play five Twenty20 matches across three venues in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

Eleven of the 15 players chosen for last year's T20 World Cup were retained.

Only Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Akila Dananjaya are missing.

De Silva pulled out of the recent ODI series against Zimbabwe after his wife gave birth to their first child, while Perera was also absent due to injury.

Rajapaksa retired from international cricket in January citing family commitments, but there was speculation the 30-year-old was unhappy with the new fitness benchmarks he would have to meet.

In a bizarre twist, Rajapaksa backflipped on his retirement decision a week later, saying he wants to play for the national team for years to come.

Sri Lanka have been without a head coach since Mickey Arthur's two-year stint ended last month.

Reports suggest Englishman Paul Farbrace will be named as coach ahead of the team's India tour in February-March.

Australia named their 16-man T20 squad on Tuesday, with David Warner and Mitchell Marsh the biggest omissions to allow to rest up ahead of the multi-format tour of Pakistan.

The T20 series against Sri Lanka begins on February 11 at the SCG.

Australia beat Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup on the way to winning the title. 

SRI LANKA TWENTY 20 SQUAD

Dasun Shanaka (capt), Charith Asalanka (vc), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

- with Reuters