Kusal Mendis ruled out of LPL 2026 with hamstring injury

Sri Lanka white-ball captain Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the ongoing Lanka Premier League season after he picked up a hamstring injury during Colombo Kaps' six-wicket win over Kandy Royals on Sunday. "Mendis sustained a right hamstring injury while attempting a run during the Colombo Kaps' match against the Kandy Royals on 19 July at the SSC, Colombo," an SLC media release said. "Consequently, he will return to the National High Performance Centre to begin his rehabilitation program," the statement reads. The injury is a blow for both Kaps, whom Mendis was captaining, as well as the Sri Lanka national team who are set to play India in a two-Test home series starting August 15. Mendis is a crucial member of the Sri Lankan team across all formats. He was expected to keep wickets in the series against India, but it's not clear how long this injury will keep him out. The injury comes at a particularly inopportune time for Mendis, who has been in the midst of a rich vein of form. Prior to his injury, he had struck a 53-ball 79 in the Kaps' opening fixture against Galle Gallants, while his stint in this season's PSL had fetched him 550 runs across 11 innings at a strike rate of 168.19. For the national side, since the start of 2026 he's struck 408 runs across 14 innings at a rate of 130.35; in ODIs, his four innings this year have brought 211 runs at an average of 70.33.