Hamstring injury sidelines England wicketkeeper in Sri Lanka series

Joe Butler's left‑leg hamstring problem, first noticed in the 38th over of the second ODI, escalated when he stumbled while taking a run between the wickets. Despite immediate treatment, he could not continue past 67 runs and later walked off at 69, his highest ODI score in three years. The injury adds to Butler's history of soft‑tissue setbacks, including a similar issue during the IPL 2024 season. Jordan Cox is expected to keep wickets for the final game.