by Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka suffered a major blow before leaving for the ICC Cricket World Cup in India later this week when star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old was sidelined from the Asia Cup after suffering a hamstring injury during the Lanka Premier League but was expected to be fit for the World Cup.
However, he aggravated the injury during rehabilitation and now medical experts will determine whether the former Richmond College cricketer needs surgery. Hasaranga has a grade III hamstring tear.Hasaranga had been named in the World Cup squad but now he’s most likely to be replaced by Dushan Hemantha, the leg-spinning all-rounder.
There was no place for fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera either in the World Cup squad, however, sources said that he will be back up if any injury happens to a fast bowler during the World Cup.Dilshan Madushanka and Lahiru Kumara, who did not feature in the Asia Cup due to injuries have recovered and have been drafted into the World Cup squad.
Maheesh Theekshana, who suffered a hamstring injury during the Super Four game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup has recovered and has also been named in the World Cup squad.
Sri Lanka did well to reach the Asia Cup finals despite the bowling attack being depleted with injuries. All bowlers who broke down lead up to the Asia Cup were expected to be available for selection and Hasaranga had in fact resumed bowling and had been picked in the World Cup squad before the same injury again flared up.
Later this week, Sri Lanka will fly off to the eastern Indian city of Guwahati on the Nepalese boarder for World Cup warm-up games against Asian rivals Afghanistan and Bangladesh before flying to Indian capital of New Delhi to prepare for their first game of the tournament against South Africa.The finalists of the epic 2019 World Cup – England and New Zealand will face off in the curtain-raiser of the tournament on the 5th October at Ahmedabad. Sri Lanka’s first game is two days later.Sri Lanka have two games each in Delhi, Bangalore and Lucknow while they play one game each at Pune and Hyderabad. The epic clash against hosts India is in Bombay on the 2nd of November, a replay of the 2011 World Cup final.
