Injured Kulasekara out of Pakistan Tests

Monday, 6 January 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNCricinfo: Sri Lanka seam bowler Nuwan Kulasekara will not be available for the remaining Tests against Pakistan, after having sustained a hamstring tear at the end of the ODI series. Kulasekara was not considered for the first Test, and though he remained with the team throughout the match, further scans revealed he would not recover in time to contribute to the two remaining games.

“They discovered the injury a few days back and Kulasekara won’t be part of the tour anymore,” captain Angelo Mathews said. “We haven’t decided when he will be leaving, but it will be some time in the next few days.” Sri Lanka had picked five seam bowlers in their 16-man squad, and Mathews said his team would not be flying in a replacement for Kulasekara. In addition to Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal, who played in the first Test, fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep and left-armer Vishwa Fernando are also in the squad. The pitches in Dubai and Sharjah, where the remaining Tests will be played, are also generally suited to spin, and Sri Lanka may play only two frontline seam bowlers in both matches. Sri Lanka’s next Test assignment, against Bangladesh, is scheduled to begin the week after the end of the ongoing tour, and it is unclear as yet whether Kulasekara will be available for that series.