Pathum Nissanka, the Sri Lankan opener who hit 188 against the West Indies in Antigua, has been ruled out of the two‑Test series with Pakistan after a left hamstring injury kept him sidelined since September.
The 27‑year‑old suffered the strain during Sri Lanka’s white‑ball tour of England, missing the subsequent T20I series and later failing to prove fitness for the ODI tri‑series. A wrist injury had already shelved him from the home Test tie‑up against India.
Udara, who has played five Tests for the Ceylonese, is already in Pakistan with the one‑day squad and was drafted as Nissanka’s stand‑in for the tri‑series. His aggressive start and solid technique make him a tempting choice for the opening slots.
The two Tests, kicking off on Nov. 9 in Rawalpindi and following in Lahore, are part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle. With Sri Lanka 7th and Pakistan 9th in the standings, both teams will push hard for points before the next World Cup qualifiers.