Sri Lanka have included pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their 15-member squad for the World Cup despite concerns over his fitness after ankle surgery, the country’s cricket Board said on Wednesday.

The mercurial Malinga had left ankle surgery in September and missed the team’s one-day series against India and England.

Malinga is expected to return in the later stages of the seven match ODI series against New Zealand, which starts in Christchurch on Sunday, and was included in the World Cup squad, subject to fitness, the Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

The 2011 World Cup runners-up also included off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake, who was recently cleared to bowl after remedial work on his action.

The South African World Cup squad that was announced on Wednesday had eight players with previous World Cup experience — captain AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Wayne Parnell, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir.

Pakistan have picked up a battery of five pace bowlers and two spinners for their World Cup squad. The selectors opted to repose faith on a young team ignoring senior players like Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Mohammed Sami for the mega-event.

The selectors have chosen five pacers — Mohammed Irfan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz. Left-armer Yasir Shah and Shahid Afridi are the two spinners in the squad.

Zimbabwe, in their Cup squad, have included Prosper Utseya despite the ICC placing restrictions on his bowling.

The squads

Pakistan

Mohammed Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul Haq (captain), Harris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Ehsan Adil, Yasir Shah.

South Africa

AB de Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn.

Sri Lanka

Angelo Mathews (captain), Tillekaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga (subject to fitness), Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake.

Zimbabwe

Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza Butt, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Regis Chakabva, Craig Ervine, Prosper Utseya, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Solomon Mire, Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara.