Major blow for defending champions as Chameera, Hasaranga ruled out of Asia Cup

Friday, 25 August 2023 02:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dushmantha Chameeraand Wanindu Hasaranga

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Defending Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka suffered a double blow when two of their prime players Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga were ruled out of next week’s Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Fast bowler Chameera has not recovered from a shoulder injury which saw him appear in only four matches for champions B-Love Kandy in the recently concluded LPL. His place is likely to be taken by Kasun Rajitha who was named in the list of standbys.

Chameera’s injuries are quite frustrating. He was wrapped in cotton wool for the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, but he took part only in the warm-up games and due to an injury, he suffered at training was ruled out of the tournament. He had only just returned to the Sri Lankan set-up after tearing a calf muscle in the T20 World Cup last year and missed 30 of Sri Lanka’s 32 matches across formats since October 2022. Now here again he is facing more time on the sidelines with another injury before a major tournament like the Asia Cup.

Hasaranga’s suffered an injury to his right hamstring during B-Love Kandy’s Eliminator match against Jaffna Kings and despite the injury managed to steer his team into the final, batting and bowling virtually on one leg. He however did not play in the final, but despite his absence B-Love Kandy went onto beat Dambulla Aura by five wickets to become the new champions. Hasaranga is likely to be replaced by right-arm leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha who made his ODI debut against Afghanistan in June this year.

The 15-member squad captained by Dasun Shanaka sees the return of top order bat Kusal Perera after injury to the ODI side after two years, while all-rounder Dunith Wellalage and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara earn recalls. Wellalage was not picked for Zimbabwe and Kumara pulled out from that tour due to an injury.

Sri Lanka’s opening fixture in the Asia Cup is against Bangladesh at Pallekele on 31 August. They then travel to Lahore for the second game against Afghanistan on 5 September, before returning to Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium for the remaining games.

Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last year in UAE when it was played in the T20I format. This year with the Cricket World Cup around the corner the tournament will be a 50-over affair.

Sri Lanka Asia Cup Squad

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana.