Injured Murali out of first Test by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	M Muralitharan, HMRKB Herath
Event:	Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 3rd July 2009

 

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will miss the first Test against Pakistan starting this weekend due to a knee injury.

 

Saturday's game at Sri Lanka's Galle International Stadium is the first Test between the two teams since a militant attack in Lahore, Pakistan, left eight people dead.

 

The two teams though played against each other in the finals of the ICC World Twenty20 in England. Pakistan there beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

 

"Murali has picked up a knee injury and has been asked to rest for a while," team manager Brendon Kuruppu said.

 

Murali's place in the first of the three Tests will be taken by either orthodox left-arm spinner Rangana Herath or rookie slow bowler Suraj Randiv Kaluhalmulla according to a Sri Lanka cricket official.

 

The remaining two Tests will be played in Colombo, followed by five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 game.