FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - New Zealand v Sri Lanka - M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India - November 9, 2023 New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Chamika Karunaratne REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
(Reuters) - New Zealand paceman Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the one-day international series against Sri Lanka after suffering a calf strain in the second Twenty20 match against the South Asians.
Ferguson was struck down with the injury soon after becoming his nation's sixth bowler to take a T20 hat-trick as New Zealand won by five runs in Dambulla on Sunday to split the series 1-1.
The team said he would return to New Zealand for scans and rehab, scratching him from the three-match ODI series starting in Dambulla on Wednesday.
"We’re gutted for Lockie," New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said in a statement on Tuesday.
"He showed in the space of just two overs what an asset he is with the ball and he’s also brought a lot of leadership to this group, so he’ll be a big miss heading into an important ODI series for us."
Adam Milne will replace Ferguson in the squad.
"Adam is a like-for-like replacement who brings genuine pace and plenty of international experience, so we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the group," said Stead.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
