SL vs NZ 3rd T20I: Sri Lankan duo likely to miss the final T20I

Sri Lankan all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya and wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis might be unavailable for the 3rd T20I to be played against New Zealand. Mendis has suffered a right knee injury while Jayasuriya suffered a leg injury just above the right knee on his leg after the teammates slammed into each other.

Jayasuriya and Mendis probably to miss the 3rd T20I

The two players were standing near the boundary rope in the final over and were trying to restrain the six hit by Mitchell Santner, though Jayasurya took the catch but he touched the boundary and was knocked off by the teammate Kusal Mendes in Pallekele which caused injury to both of them. The Sri Lanka team manager Asantha De Mel confirmed the news on Wednesday.

Both the players have sustained an injury in their right leg. They were later examined by the physician, however, Mendis was sent for an MRI scan and the reports are due today in the late afternoon.

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Kushal Mendes is in great form right now, he made 79 runs in the first T20I against New Zealand and has a great record at Pallekele stadium.

Malinga’s confidence over the presence of Mendis and Jayasurya in the next game

Despite the last-minute drama in the match which resulted in the player’s injuries, the skipper Lasith Malinga is confident enough that his boys will be ready to play in the 3rd and the final T20I match against the visitors New Zealand.

Malinga was quoted saying, that “the two fielders are alright and will play the next game hopefully”.

However, this was not the first time when these two players have suffered injuries on the ground. Earlier in the month of August, after winning the final One-day International match against Bangladesh in Colombo, Sri Lankan team was presented with a bike and players took turns to take a ride of it.

When it was time for Mendis to ride the bike he lost control of it and skidded off the bike along with teammate Jayasuriya, who was sitting behind him.

New Zealand inviolable 2-0 lead in the T20I series

New Zealand on the other side has established a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series over the host Sri Lanka. So, although they would want to win the series with 3-0, a different result would not affect their victory.