Sri Lanka have left Ajantha Mendis and Kusal Perera out of their squad for the sixth one-day international with England in Pallekele on Saturday.

Both players had featured in all of the five previous games in the seven-match series, but have contributed little to the Lions taking a 3-2 lead.

Perera has made only 89 runs opening the batting, while Mendis has taken nine wickets at an average of 27.33. Middle-order batsman Ashan Priyanjan has yet to feature, but has also been dropped.

Batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, plus leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna, have been called up for the final two games of the series, while Rangana Herath is fighting his way back to fitness.

England kept the series alive as Joe Root and James Taylor inspired a five-wicket victory on Thursday.