Pathum Nissanka ruled out of Sri Lanka Test series in Pakistan

Sri Lankan batter Pathum Nissanka has been withdrawn from the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan due to a persistent left hamstring injury. Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that Nissanka failed to pass a fitness assessment required for his conditional inclusion in the original 15-man squad.

Lahiru Udara has been named as his replacement. Udara is already in Pakistan as part of the Sri Lankan ODI squad, facilitating his transition into the Test setup. The injury originally surfaced during Sri Lanka’s white-ball tour of England in September 2026 and has since prevented Nissanka from participating in T20Is and the ongoing ODI tri-series.

The Test series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, is scheduled to begin on November 9 with matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Kusal Mendis will captain the visiting side. The series offers both Sri Lanka and Pakistan a chance to improve their respective standings in the championship.