COLOMBO (Reuters) - An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team will arrive in Sri Lanka on Thursday, a statement from the global lender said as the crisis-hit country prepares for the first review of a loan programme in September.

The delegation will visit Sri Lanka during May 11-23 as part of regular consultations ahead of the first review mission later this year, the IMF said in a statement.

Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the Asia and Pacific Department, will join the May 12-15 visit and a press briefing will be held on Monday, it said.

Sri Lanka is struggling with its worst financial crisis in over seven decades triggered by a severe shortage of foreign exchange.

The island finalised a nearly $3 billion IMF programme in March.

(Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)