Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha has been ruled out of the second Test against Pakistan starting Thursday due to a left hamstring strain. Rajitha had bowled only six overs on Day 5 in the drawn Rawalpindi Test, owing to the injury he had picked up during his new-ball spell. He took the wicket of Shan Masood, but was off the field for much of Pakistan's first innings.
Team manager and chief selector Ashantha de Mel has confirmed that no replacement for Rajitha would be asked for, reports ESPNcricinfo.
Rajitha is the second Sri Lanka quick to be ruled out of the historic two-Test series.
Before the start of the series, right-arm pacer Suranga Lakmal was ruled out with dengue. And now with Rajitha's exit, Sri Lanka have only two pacers in Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando who have experience of playing Test cricket.
Pakistan's left arm pacer Usman Shinwari is also unlikely to play in the second Test against Sri Lanka after being hospitalised with high fever, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said on Tuesday.
Misbah said that Usman was being treated and it was highly unlikely he would be available for the second Test starting from Thursday at the national stadium in Karachi.
With bad weather and continuous rain forcing both the teams to settle for a draw in the first Test in Rawalpindi, the Azhar Ali-led Pakistan side will aim to win the last contest at the historic venue.
Pakistan have a phenomenal record at the National Stadium in the longest format of the game as they have won 21 out of 41 Tests in Karachi with only two resulting in defeats for them.
