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England cricket star Ben Stokes out for up to 12 weeks

England's Ben Stokes reacts as he walks off the field after losing his wicket during the third One Day International cricket match between India and England at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, India, Sunday, March 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

LONDON (AP) — England allrounder Ben Stokes will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks with a broken finger, the team said Friday, ruling him out of a test series against New Zealand and possibly limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Stokes will undergo surgery on Monday after scans showed he has fractured his left index finger, the England and Wales Cricket Board said. He will fly back to Britain from India, where he is currently with Rajasthan Royals in the India Premier League, for the operation in Leeds.

Stokes sustained the injury when completing a catch to dismiss Punjab Kings batsman Chris Gayle in the teams' opening IPL match on Monday.

England’s two-match test series against New Zealand, Stokes’ country of birth, takes place in the first half of June. The three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka is from June 23-26, before an ODI series against the Asian country from June 30-July 4.

England then plays Pakistan in three ODIs from July 8-13.

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