Ruled out of India series, SL's Hasaranga in isolation

Ruled out of the T20I series against India after being infected with COVID-19, Sri Lanka's star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga's isolation in Melbourne has been extended as he returned another positive result for the virus.

Sri Lanka and India will play in a three-match T20 series beginning with the opener in Lucknow on Thursday.

"Wanindu Hasaranga, who was in isolation after contracting COVID-19, has once again returned a positive result when a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) was conducted on the player yesterday (22nd February)," a release from Sri Lanka Cricket said.

An RTPCR test too confirmed the result.

Hasaranga was first found to be positive during a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) conducted on February 15 when Sri Lanka were playing in a five-match T20 series in Australia.

The player was transferred to Melbourne from Canberra and will remain in isolation until he returns a negative PCR test report.

The leg-spinner was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 10.75 crore at the IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru last week.

The 24-year-old made an impression, especially with the ball, when India went to Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series last July, with a three-for in the second ODI and seven wickets -- including a 4 for 9 -- to top the bowling charts in the three T20Is.

At the end of that series, Hasaranga was placed second among T20I bowlers in the ICC rankings.