Kusal Mendis ruled out of England T20Is, Charith Asalanka to lead Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the T20I series against England after sustaining a right hamstring injury during the Lanka Premier League 2026. In his absence, Charith Asalanka has been appointed captain of the Sri Lanka T20I side for the three-match series, which begins on September 15.

Left-arm seamer Binura Fernando has also been ruled out of the England tour. Fernando sustained a back injury while featuring in the Lanka Premier League 2026 and will not be available for any part of the T20I assignment. Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed both absences on September 4 via an official media release. Mendis may be seen making a return for the ODI leg of the tour.

The three T20Is are scheduled for September 15, September 17 and September 19, 2026, at Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester respectively. The ODIs, meanwhile, run from September 22 to September 27, making it a significant bilateral assignment for the Lankan Lions, across both formats.

Why are Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando unavailable for the England tour?

Both players sustained their injuries while featuring in the Lanka Premier League 2026, which serves as one of Sri Lanka's premier domestic T20 competitions. Mendis suffered a right hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the T20I squad entirely, while Fernando's back injury has similarly ended his involvement in the England tour at this stage.

The Lanka Premier League has therefore had a direct bearing on Sri Lanka's preparations ahead of a demanding tour of England. No recovery timelines have been disclosed by Sri Lanka Cricket for either Mendis or Fernando, and it remains unclear whether either player will be considered for the ODI leg of the tour that follows the T20I series. However, a positive update is likely.

The back-to-back nature of the Lanka Premier League and the England tour has placed the national selection panel under pressure to identify suitable cover for two players who would ordinarily be expected to feature prominently across the T20I matches.

Who has replaced the injured players in Sri Lanka's T20I squad?

Sri Lanka Cricket has named Pavan Rathnayake as the replacement for Mendis in the T20I squad. Dilshan Madushanka has been called up to fill the vacancy left by Fernando, providing the side with additional left-arm pace bowling cover ahead of the series opener at Southampton.

With Mendis unavailable, the T20I captaincy for the England leg falls to Asalanka, who will lead the side across all three matches at Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester. The series concludes on September 19, 2026, before the two sides move on to the ODI fixtures that complete the tour on September 27.