Sri Lanka’s World Cup 2023 run, already ravaged by key injuries and heavy defeats, just coped another blow as their captain Dasun Shanaka has been ruled out of the tournament.
The star all-rounder sustained an untimely thigh injury during his side’s defeat to Pakistan in Hyderabad earlier this week.
Shanaka also did not take part in Sri Lanka’s training sessions in Lucknow ahead of their must-win clash against Australia.
Notably, the latest setback came to the fore just a day after young speedster Matheesha Pathirana was ruled out for two matches after he slumped to a shoulder injury.
Chamika Karunaratne, who made his ODI debut in May 2021, has been called in as Shanaka’s replacement for the cricketing carnival in India.
Karunaratne has so far played 23 ODI matches for his country, with the last of them being his appearance against New Zealand in Hamilton more than six months ago.
Sri Lanka, after sustaining massive defeats against South Africa and Pakistan, will now go up against Australia on October 16.
Their much-awaited duel against the five-time winners will be hosted by the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
