Vishwa Fernando, Sri Lanka’s left-arm pacer, will miss the second Test against New Zealand after suffering an injury. Sri Lanka leads the two-Test series 1-0 with the second and final Test in Galle, starting on September 26.
On Monday, September 23, the Sri Lanka cricket team defeated New Zealand by 63 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle.
Unfortunately, the Sri Lanka cricket team has been forced to make changes to its Test roster just a few days before the highly anticipated second and final match against New Zealand in Galle.
Notably, Vishwa Fernando did not make the Islanders’ playing XI for the first Test. Sri Lanka won the first Test against New Zealand by 63 runs at Galle.
Kamindu Mendis’ century and Dimuth Karunaratne’s excellent 83 set the tone for this spectacular victory, while Prabath Jayasuriya’s brilliant bowling, including two five-wicket hauls, shredded New Zealand’s batting unit in Galle.
Vishwa Fernando out of second Sri Lanka v New Zealand Test; Nishan Peiris named a replacement
On Tuesday, September 24, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board revealed that bowler Vishwa Fernando would miss the last Test against New Zealand due to a stiffness in his right hamstring while preparing at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Fernando’s injury has sent him to the High-Performance Center for rehabilitation, leaving the Lanka cricket team to find a substitute. However, the Lankans wasted no time in responding to the setback, calling up Nishan Peiris, a 27-year-old right-arm off-spinner, to replace Fernando in the squad.
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) stated in an X post: “Vishwa Fernando had developed a tightness in his right hamstring while practicing; hence, he has been sent to the High-Performance Center for rehabilitation. Nishan Peiris, the 27-year-old right-arm offspinner, has been added to the squad in place of Fernando.”
Vishwa Fernando had developed a tightness in his right hamstring while practicing, hence, he has been sent to the High Performance Center for rehabilitation._
Nishan Peiris, the 27-year-old right-arm offspinner, has been added to the squad in place of Fernando. #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/aCCvUxbsEv
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 24, 2024
All eyes will be on Nishan Peiris, who is expected to make his international debut for the Lanka cricket team in the Galle Test against New Zealand on Thursday.
Vishwa’s Replacement Peiris has played 41 First Class matches and taken 172 wickets for an average of 24.37 and an economy rate of 3.42. The left-hander is also an effective batsman, having scored 333 runs in 52 First-Class innings thus far. In the white-ball format, the off-spinner also performs well.
Peiris has 86 and 43 wickets from 61 List-A and 39 T20 games, respectively. He has also scored 369 runs in List-A cricket.
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