Mathews and Chameera to join Sri Lanka’s injury-hit WC squad

Angelo Mathews (left) and Dushmantha Chameera 

LUCKNOW: Former captain and experienced all-rounder Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera have been picked as travelling reserves to boost the injury-hit Sri Lanka cricket team currently participating in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.

The travelling reserves spot became vacant when Chamika Karunaratne who was selected as the only player outside the squad came in as a replacement for Dasun Shanaka when the Sri Lanka captain suffered a leg injury and was ruled out of the tournament.

A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media release states: “The Sri Lanka Cricket selectors took this decision in order to ensure that the team has ready replacements in place to face contingencies, such as an injury to an existing squad member. Accordingly, Mathews and Chameera will join the team tomorrow (Friday).”

Sri Lanka has been badly missing the services of Chameera with their bowlers - with the exception of Dilshan Madushanka - being carted around in the first three World Cup games for 988 runs at an average of 7.54 runs an over.

Chameera failed to make it to the final World Cup squad of 15 as he was feeling discomfort while bowling at the nets while recovering from a torn pectoral muscle of his right bowling arm, which he suffered ahead of the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. After recovering from that he injured himself again in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in August which kept him out of the Asia Cup. It’s really good news for Sri Lanka that he is fit, up and running. But for him to be included in the World Cup squad of 15 one of the existing players have to get injured or fall ill for the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to grant approval. It is the same with Mathews.  The former skipper should have been picked initially for his experience alone. The present team lacks a proficient batter in the middle as witnessed by the batting collapses experienced in the Asia Cup final, as well as Sri Lanka’s first three matches of the World Cup.

Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign has been derailed by injuries to key bowlers like Chameera and leg-spinning all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, that has forced them to take a squad of inexperienced bowlers to the mega event, which has proved quite disastrous so far as Sri Lanka are the only team out of the ten taking part without a single win.

Of the present side fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana is recovering from an injury to his right shoulder that saw him miss Sri Lanka’s last game against Australia and most probably Saturday’s match against Netherlands at Lucknow. “Pathirana’s under rehab. We will be checking tomorrow (Friday) whether he is fit to play,” said team manager Mahinda Halangoda.