Colombo, July 24: Chaminda Vaas, who just retired from Test cricket, vowed to fight for his place in Sri Lanka’s one-day international squad after selectors left him out of a 15-member squad for the five-match series against Pakistan. The selectors named the squad here on Friday when, the 35-year-old bowler concluded his last Test with 355 wickets in 111 matches.

"I knew it from the start," Vaas said of his exclusion. "I had not played 11 months of one-day cricket. All the young fast bowlers who played during that time played very well and took their opportunities with both hands. "I am going to work hard, I am going to fight for my place. I’ll be back very soon."

Vaas has played 322 one-day internationals with 400 wickets. He made his last appearance against India last August. Despite retiring from Tests, he plans to play one-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals until the 2011 World Cup, which will be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Batsman Thilan Samaraweera, who had not featured in a one-day game for nearly four years, finds a place in the squad. The 32-year-old Samaraweera has played in just 17 matches sporadically since his debut 11 years ago. He replaces injured Tillakaratne Dilshan. Fast bowler Lasith Malinga also returns to the squad after a 17-month layoff from injury. First of the five-match one-day series will be played on July 30.

— AP