COLOMBO: Australia have added fast bowlers Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson to their one-day squad in Sri Lanka as cover for Mitchell Starc who is recovering from a finger injury, the tourists said on Friday.

Starc needed six stitches on his index finger after slicing it on a spike from his bowling shoe during the first Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka.

The left-arm paceman has not played since then but Australia are confident he will be fit for the two-test series against Sri Lanka later this month.

Jhye Richardson, originally selected only for the T20 matches, has been added to the one-day squad while Kane Richardson was brought in for the first two ODIs.

“The Queensland fast bowler [Kane Richardson] has been added as additional bowling cover following the injury to Mitchell Starc,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.

Cameron Green, Alex Carey and Marnus Labuschagne will join the ODI squad in Kandy on Saturday, it added.

Hosts Sri Lanka recalled hard-hitting batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the one-day squad for the five-match series beginning on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old announced his shock retirement in January before retracting it a week later and was ignored for Sri Lanka’s subsequent tour of India on fitness grounds.

He returned to Sri Lanka’s T20 squad against Australia after an impressive Indian Premier League season with Punjab Kings.

Uncapped left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage was also named in the 21-member squad led by Dasun Shanaka. Australia have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing T20 series with the third and final match scheduled in Kandy on Saturday.

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan,

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2022