Hasaranga fails to make it to World Cup, Hemantha as replacement

 The Sri Lanka cricket team for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India

• Sri Lanka team leaves for India

Wanindu Hasaranga

Dushan Hemantha

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

How much Sri Lanka longed to have spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in their World Cup squad can be assessed by the fact that along with the official announcement of the squad, there is a footnote to say that: “Wanindu Hasaranga has not been included in the 15-member squad as the player is still in the process of recovering from an injury. His recovery will be monitored, and if he is declared fit to play, he will be considered as a replacement in the event of an injury to a squad member during the tournament.”

Hasaranga has a grade 2 tear hamstring injury which he picked up during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) and re-aggravated during the rehab process thus making it a grade 3 tear.

Sri Lanka Cricket named Hasaranga in the squad of 15 subject to fitness, but with the team leaving for India yesterday Hasaranga has shown no signs of being in a position to play any cricket at the moment and thus had to be left out.

Hasaranga is a vital cog in Sri Lanka’s World Cup plans having ended as the highest wicket-taker of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe with a bag of 22 wickets helping his team finish the tournament unbeaten and earn a berth in the World Cup. Hasaranga followed this performance by leading B-Love Kandy to win the Lanka Premier League almost single-handedly ending as the leading wicket-taker (19 wickets) and run scorer (279 runs) in the tournament. He did not play in the final after injuring his hamstring in the match prior to it.

Hasaranga’s place will be taken by 29-year-old right-arm leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha who like Hasaranga has the ability to score runs down the order and is a brilliant fielder as he showed during the Asia Cup matches when he came onto the field as a substitute. Following the injury to Maheesh Theekshana, Hemantha was drafted into the 11 to play in the Asia Cup final against India.

Having made his ODI debut in June this year against Afghanistan, Hemantha is the least-capped player in the squad with three ODI appearances.

Sri Lanka also doesn’t have the services of their prime white ball fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera who has not recovered from an injury.

The 15-member squad is virtually the same as that played in the Asia Cup with the exception of fast bowlers Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka who return after injuries.

SRI LANKA WORLD CUP SQUAD

Dasun Shanaka - Captain (Age 32, ODIs 67), Kusal Mendis - Vice Captain (28, 112), Kusal Perera (33, 109), Pathum Nissanka (25, 40), Dimuth Karunaratne (35, 48), Sadeera Samarawickrama (28, 23), Charith Asalanka (26, 41), Dhananjaya de Silva (32, 82), Dushan Hemantha (29, 3), Maheesh Theekshana (23, 27), Dunith Wellalage (20, 15), Kasun Rajitha (30, 28), Matheesha Pathirana (20, 10), Lahiru Kumara (26, 26), Dilshan Madushanka (23, 6). Travelling Reserve - Chamika Karunaratne.

OFFICIALS

Mahinda Halangoda (Manager), Chris Silverwood (Head Coach), Mahela Jayawardene (Consultant Coach), Naveed Nawaz (Assistant Coach), Piyal Wijetunge (Spin Bowling Coach), Dharshana Gamage (Fast Bowling Coach), Anton Roux (Fielding Coach), Grant Luden (Trainer), Chris Clerk-Irons (Physiotherapist), Shirantha Niroshana (Analyst), Rohan Priyadarshana (Masseur), P. Kirella (Doctor), Pramodya Wickramasinghe (Selector on Tour).