Hasaranga out of NZ ODIs due to injury, Hemantha named replacement

Colombo, Nov 12 (IANS) Sri Lanka legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand after sustaining a left hamstring injury while bowling in the second T20I in Dambulla on Sunday, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka have added Dushan Hemantha to the squad in place of Hasaranga, who returned to Colombo and has started injury rehabilitation at the High Performance Center.

Hasaranga had finished the two T20Is with six wickets, snapping four on Sunday, and was named the Player of the Series. He has had recent bouts with injuries, having pulled the same hamstring back in August during the home series against India.

The legspinner is the second player to be ruled out of the upcoming series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Kiwi pacer and hat-trick hero from the second T20I Lockie Ferguson will also miss the action owing to a recent calf injury.

While Hasaranga ripped into the New Zealand batting as Sri Lanka dismissed them for 108 in the second and final T20I, the visitors bounced back in style with the ball, clinching a five-run win to end the series in a 1-1 draw.

Speaking after the match, Hasaranga opened up about his injury, "Finally, I can have a few weeks' break after this match. I think it's bad. I wanted to bowl my four overs to cut down their total. I can't run, so I tried to maximise (while batting) but I got out."

The three-match ODI series begins on Wednesday in Dambulla with the next two matches to be played in Pallekele on November 17 and 19, respectively.