The New Zealand women's cricket team has faced another setback as Lauren Down has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka due to a back injury. This unfortunate news comes after the weather disrupted the first ODI. The second ODI is set to be played on March 7th.

Down, a talented middle-order batter, sustained the injury on the first morning of the series. This adds to the team's woes as Bella James was already sidelined due to a quadricep strain.

Sharp to Step In

As a result, the uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Izzy Sharp has been called up as Down's replacement. Sharp, who was initially part of the T20I series, will now travel to Nelson for the remaining two ODIs.

New Zealand Women's head coach, Ben Sawyer, expressed his disappointment at Down's absence but also highlighted the opportunity for young players.

• "We're all really disappointed for Lauren to be ruled out of the series, Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game and we wish her a speedy recovery. It does provide an exciting opportunity for Izzy to join the group in Nelson for these last two matches and we're looking forward to welcoming her," Sawyer said.

More Replacements

It's not just Down who is missing. Emma Black will replace Hannah Rowe for the third ODI. Rowe is attending her teammate Mikaela Greig's wedding as the 'Maid of Honour'.

The Kiwi side is already without key players such as Sophie Devine, Molly Penfold, and Hayley Jensen.

This series promises exciting moments for fans as they await the next match, keeping an eye on how the replacements step up.