Sri Lanka Captain Kusal Mendis Ruled Out of T20 Series Against England

Sri Lanka’s cricket team has suffered a setback ahead of their upcoming T20 series against England, as captain Kusal Mendis has been ruled out due to a right hamstring injury. The announcement was made by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Friday. The 31-year-old Mendis will miss the three-match T20 series, though his participation in the subsequent One-Day International (ODI) series remains undecided. In his absence, Charith Asalanka has been appointed captain for the T20 fixtures. The series begins on September 15 with the opening match in Southampton, followed by the second game in Cardiff on September 17. The final T20 will be played in Manchester on September 19. After the T20 series, both teams will move on to the ODI contests, starting September 22 in Chester-le-Street, with the second match scheduled for September 24 at Headingley and the third on September 27 at The Oval. Sri Lanka’s management has yet to confirm whether Mendis will recover in time to feature in the ODI series. His absence in the T20s is seen as a major blow, but the team hopes Asalanka’s leadership will provide stability against a strong England side.