After all-rounder Thisara Perera was asked to lead a 15-man Sri Lankan squad for the three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan, the hard-hitting all-rounder expressed delight at his new role and revealed that it is a dream come true for him.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Perera said, “I am really happy. I’m really proud of myself because everyone has a dream to be a captain anywhere. This was my dream, and it has come true. I’m really happy at the moment.”

However, Perera will be leading a somewhat depleted squad as Sri Lankan limited overs captain Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Niroshan Dickwella and Chamara Kapugedara reportedly withdrew from the tour of Pakistan amidst concerns over security.

Expressing satisfaction with the squad, he said, “I’m happy with the squad because everyone can bat and bowl. In T20 matches we need part-time bowlers and big hitters. I think this team we can do something special this series,” said Thisara, who will want to turn things around for Sri Lanka after a dismal outing in the one-day series. When asked if missing out on the big names was a concern, he was optimistic in his response: “Yes, actually we had a good bunch of players in the country. Never mind because I got new talents. Hopefully, we will do our best for our country with my team.”