Neck injury forces Chris Lynn out of ODI series against Pakistan

Perth [Australia], Jan.18 (ANI): Australian batsman Chris Lynn has been ruled out of the remainder of five-match ODI series against Pakistan due to a neck injury. The 26-year-old, who made his ODI debut on his home ground at the Gabba in the opening game, was earlier forced to pull out of the second match in Melbourne after an aggravation of his existing injury. Reflecting on Lynn's injury, Australia's coach Darren Lehmann insisted that the batsman has been playing with a lot of pain throughout the Big Bash League (BBL) and, that he has now reached at the stage where he can't function anymore. "He's obviously been playing in a lot of pain, even through the BBL. It's just got to the stage where he can't function anymore. He's got a couple of weeks with really no cricket, light duties . a little bit of physical stuff but nothing weight-bearing," ESPNcricinfo quoted Lehmann as saying. "He's got to calm down the neck - it's quite aggravated. He'll start his rehab as of now, but he won't be doing too much strenuous stuff before hopefully getting back for the Sri Lankan series," he added. The injury also ruled Lynn out of the upcoming Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand. However, the Australian side remain hopeful that Lynn would recover in time to be part of the Twenty20 side series against Sri Lanka in mid-February. In Lynn's absence, Peter Handscomb has been called in the squad to make his ODI debut in the third match at the WACA Ground on Thursday. Handscomb has been named as the replacement for all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who hurt his shoulder during Australia's six-wicket defeat against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Although Handscomb has averaged just 23.83 in the past two years in List A cricket, his outstanding form when stepping into the Test line-up this summer seems to have gained the national selectors' attention. The Australia Playing XI for Perth ODI is as follows: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Billy Stanlake.(ANI)