World Cup 2023: Huge blow for Sri Lanka as Dasun Shanaka, the skipper of the Sri Lankan team, has been ruled out of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Tournament. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board have announced Chamika Karunaratne as his replacement for the campaign from now.
For Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka’s role as a captain and bowler was more significant than his role as a batsman. He has been forced to leave the current World Cup tournament due to a thigh injury. Dasun Shanaka suffered a right thigh muscle strain during Sri Lanka’s most recent six-wicket loss against Pakistan, and doctors have estimated that his recovery time will be three weeks.
The injury to Dasun Shanaka comes as a blow for Sri Lanka who are one amongst the four teams to have not won a game yet in the World Cup. ICC has confirmed the news and also accepted the replacement request. ICC has also released a statement regarding this update.
The ICC wrote in a statement, “The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Chamika Karunaratne, who has played 23 ODIs, as a replacement after Shanaka was ruled out due to a right thigh muscle injury sustained during Sri Lanka’s match against Pakistan on 10th October. The injury needs three weeks to recover.“
Karunaratne has participated in 23 ODIs for the nation of Lanka as a middle-order batsman and right-arm medium bowler. The 27-year-old has taken 24 wickets and amassed 443 runs, including a fifty in his brief ODI career.
Sri Lanka has lost its first two matches in the competition to South Africa and Pakistan. In New Delhi, while they were chasing a commanding 429, the 32-year-old Shanaka scored a 62-ball 68 against South Africa.
In their forthcoming World Cup encounter on Monday in Lucknow, Sri Lanka, who is presently positioned seventh in the tournament standings, will take on Australia. The absence of Dasun Shanaka offers a big obstacle for the Sri Lankan team, and Karunaratne’s inclusion is intended to strengthen their roster as they strive to enhance their performance in the competition.
Kusal Mendis, who was named as vice-captain of the Sri Lankan team, will now take over the captaincy duties and lead the team from the front. Kusal Mendis has been in some exceptional form in this World Cup and let’s see what he has to offer as a captain.
READ: ICC Men’s ODI Ranking Updated After India vs Pakistan in ICC World Cup 2023
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