Sports Desk:

Sri Lanka pacer Milan Rathnayake has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh due to a side strain, dealing a blow to the hosts ahead of the Colombo clash starting June 25.

Left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando has been named as his replacement.

Rathnayake had impressed in the Galle Test, picking up four wickets and contributing 39 runs in a vital 84-run partnership with Kamindu Mendis.

The injury that had briefly forced him off the field during the match has now sidelined him completely.

In another change, 22-year-old spin-bowling allrounder Dunith Wellalage has also been added to the squad, likely to fill the vacancy left by Angelo Mathews following his retirement from Test cricket.

While Wellalage and Sonal Dinusha bring spin options, Sri Lanka may lean toward bolstering their pace attack on the SSC pitch, which typically offers less turn than Galle.

Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Pavan Rathnayake, or Oshada Fernando are among the frontrunners to slot into the middle order in Mathews’ absence.

Sri Lanka’s next Test after this series isn’t scheduled until 2026, adding weight to selection decisions in Colombo.

Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Isitha Wijesundara.