Yorkshire expect Joe Root to be out of action for around six weeks with his broken right thumb.

The top-order batsman has been ruled out of England’s forthcoming World Twenty20 campaign, having been hit by a Ravi Rampaul delivery in last week’s one-day international in the West Indies. His thumb was shattered in eight places.

Director of cricket Martyn Moxon delivered the news at Headingley yesterday on the eve of Yorkshire’s two-week pre-season tour of Sri Lanka.

Six weeks on the sidelines would rule Root out of the first two LV= County Championship matches of the summer against Somerset at Taunton and Northamptonshire at Headingley.

He would then be available for two Championship matches before the start of England’s international summer on May 9.

“All I know is that he’s probably going to be out for six weeks,” said Moxon.

“The thumb’s obviously badly damaged and it’s disappointing for him, given that he was in some pretty good form and there’s a World Cup around the corner.

“The important thing is that if his thumb is in eight pieces, they all stick back together. I’m not party to the details of what treatment’s required but I’m confident he’ll be well looked after and there won’t be any complications.”

Yorkshire, who are taking an 18-man squad to Sri Lanka minus the rested Jonny Bairstow and Alex Lees, also expect young fast bowler James Wainman to be out for six weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Captain Andrew Gale has not fully recovered from the hip injury that reoccurred during his spell of winter grade cricket in Australia, although he is hopeful of playing some part in the matches at the back end of the tour.

There are no concerns over his fitness for the start of the Championship season on April 13.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire have announced that their new principal sponsor for the next two years will be Mazars in a deal thought to be worth £400,000.

The international accounting company replace Bradford-based car firm JCT600, who have sponsored Yorkshire since the start of the 2011 season.

Mazars have an option for a third year in 2016 and their branding will appear on Yorkshire’s shirts for the County Championship, the one-day Royal London Cup and the NatWest T20 Blast, starting next month.

Yorkshire squad: Gale (captain), Ashraf, Ballance, Brooks, Coad, Hodd, Hodgson, Leaning, Lyth, Patterson, Plunkett, Pyrah, Rafiq, Rashid, Rhodes, Robinson, Sidebottom, Tattersall.