A back injury has forced leading fast bowler Dhammika Prasad out of Sri Lanka's cricket tour to New Zealand, days before the first of two tests.
Prasad was due to lead the Sri Lanka in the attack in the first test, which starts at the University Oval in Dunedin onThursday. But a back injury suffered in a warm-up match against a President's XI, which ended in Queenstown on Saturday, has ruled Prasad out of the test and subsequent five-match one-day series.
Prasad will be replaced in both the test and one-day squads by uncapped paceman Vishwa Fernando, who joins Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal among the tourists pace options.
The 32-year old has 75 test wickets at an average of 35.97, and 32 ODI wickets at an average of 30.5.
His injury leaves the onus on Lakmal (24 tests, bowling average 49.56) to improve on greener surfaces, while promising 23-year old Chameera may prove dangerous after taking four for 57 from 10.3 overs against the President's XI.
