Five players released from bio-bubble

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have decided to release five prominent players from the National team ahead of the second Test against England which is set to get underway on 22 January at the Galle International Stadium.

Sri Lanka who were crushed by 7-wickets in the first Test will have to win the second to draw the series, which is played as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.

Among those who have been discarded from the squad is one drop batsman Kusal Mendis, who is going through a lean patch, commencing from the disastrous series in South Africa.

Mendis scored a duck and 15 in the first Test, and it is understood that he has been replaced by Oshada Fernando, who missed the tour to South Africa due to a leg injury suffered during the LPL.

It is also learnt that regular skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, who is still nursing injury, will continue to be sidelined for the second game as well, while the demoralised home side will once again be led by stand-in skipper Dinesh Chandimal.

Besides Mendis and Karunaratne, the others who have been omitted from the squad are Lahiru Kumara, Minod Bhanuka and Nuwan Pradeep. They have also been removed from the COVID-19 bubble. 

(WW)