Pallekele (Sri Lanka), July 26 (IANS): Ahead of their T20I series against India commencing on Saturday, Sri Lanka have brought in off-spinner Ramesh Mendis as a stand-by player due to fast-bowler Binura Fernando being hospitalised.

A statement from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Friday said left-arm fast-bowler Fernando has been hospitalised because of a chest infection. Subsequently, they have now brought Mendis into the Charith Asalanka-led T20I squad as a standby player.

Fernando had earned a return to Sri Lanka’s T20I squad by picking up 13 wickets across eight games at a miserly economic rate of 6.81 for Colombo Strikers in the 2024 Lanka Premier League (LPL). Mendis, the stand-by player, has only played two T20Is for Sri Lanka, picking just one wicket.

The development is another blow to Sri Lanka after Dushmantha Chameera was sidelined from the series due to him still recovering from bronchitis and respiratory infection, followed by Nuwan Thushara being ruled out because of a fractured left thumb. In place of the two, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka were drafted in as replacements.

India begin their tour of Sri Lanka with back-to-back T20Is on July 27 and 28, followed by the third game on July 30 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The scene then shifts to the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo hosting three ODIs on August 2, 4 and 7 respectively.