Lahiru Kumara Ruled Out Of World Cup 2023, Chameera Returns As Replacement
Dushmantha Chameera (x.com)
Sri Lankan fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has been ruled out of the remainder of his side’s World Cup 2023 crusade owing to a thigh injury he sustained during a training session in Pune. The speedster bowled Sri Lanka to a huge win over defending champions England in his previous outing by claiming three key wickets in the middle overs.
Dushmantha Chameera has been called in as his replacement in the squad, and the 31-year-old will likely feature in Sri Lanka’s playing XI against Afghanistan on October 30.
Lahiru Kumara joins Sri Lanka’s list of injury-struck players
Dushmantha Chameera, who played the last of his 44 ODIs for Sri Lanka nearly five months ago in Hambantota, is set to become his country’s third injury replacement in the ongoing 2023 World Cup. Earlier in the tournament, captain Dasun Shanaka and young tearaway speedster Matheesha Pathirana were also ruled out of Sri Lanka’s squad due to injuries after the team had slumped to huge defeats against South Africa and Pakistan upfront.
Moreover, one of Sri Lanka’s first-choice players for the 2023 World Cup, premier all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was not even considered for the competition due to a hamstring injury.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed Dushmantha Chameera’s last-minute return to the squad as Lahiru Kumara’s replacement on October 29, i.e., a day prior to their must-win World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan.
The match, marking the sixth respective fixtures for both sides in the tournament, will be played out at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
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