The Sri Lankan cricket team suffers another huge blow with in-form pacer Lahiru Kumara getting ruled out of the World Cup 2023 due to an injury. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the experienced bowler Dushmantha Chameera as his replacement for the remainder of the tournament.
Lahiru was the team's best bowler during the team's last game against England. The right-ram pacer took three wickets to bowl out England on just 156 runs and also claimed the Player of the Match award. But he suffered a thigh injury during a practice session at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday and was later ruled out from the remaining tournament.
The SLC confirmed the pacer's injury and named Chameera as a replacement with an official statement on their Twitter page.
"The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Dushmantha Chameera as a replacement for Lahiru Kumara in the Sri Lanka squad," the SLC statement said. "Chameera, who has played 44 ODIs, was named as a replacement after Kumara was ruled out due to a left thigh muscle injury sustained during training in Pune. The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad."
Chameera, 31, has been with a team as a travelling reverse and is expected to be part of Sri Lanka's playing eleven against Afghanistan in Pune on Monday, October 30. Chameera last played ODI cricket during the bilateral series against Afghanistan in June this year and missed the Asia Cup 2023 tournament due to injury.
Sri Lanka remain alive in the hunt for the semifinal race as they are placed in the fifth position with four points in five games. They face Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and New Zealand in their remaining four games and will be looking to record wins in all games to finish in the top four.
Sri Lanka World Cup Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dunith Wellalage
