Injuries to key Sri Lanka players adds to coach Silverwood’s headache

Perth: Several Sri Lanka cricketers suffering injuries so early in the ICC T20 World Cup is something head coach Chris Silverwood is getting concerned about as they head into the next Super 12 game, with the Englishman saying “we’re having a bit of bad luck around injuries at the moment”.

On Tuesday in the seven-wicket loss to Australia, Dasun Shanaka’s side suffered an injury scare after pace bowler Binura Fernando limped off the field. Opening the bowling, the 27-year-old managed just five deliveries before suffering discomfort in his right leg. Dhananjaya de Silva completed the over, from which Australia scored six runs.

Fernando had picked up 1 for 33 from four overs against the Netherlands in the group stage, including the wicket of captain Scott Edwards. He then had figures of 1/27 against Ireland in his side’s Super 12 opener.

With several players struggling with injuries in Australia including Danushka Gunathilaka (hamstring), Dushmantha Chameera (calf) and Dilshan Madushanka (quad) — all of whom have been replaced in the 15-member squad — the Islanders would be hoping Fernando is fit for the next Super 12 game against New Zealand on October 29 at SCG.

“Obviously we’re having a bit of bad luck around injuries at the moment, especially, as you said, in the pace stock. We’ll obviously assess him (Fernando). The physio is working with him now and the doctor, so we’ll find out exactly the extent of injury to start with and we’ll have to make some decisions from there… Yes, (it’s his) his hamstring,” said Silverwood.

On how the team will cope with injuries to several key players, Silverwood added, “Well, I mean, any injury in a team obviously in a World Cup is hard work. Obviously we will take stock of where everybody is at the moment and make plans from there. It’s too early to make too many — get too many answers at the moment, so we will just have to obviously see where the guys are, and once the physio gives a report we will make plans, but it’s too early to say too much at the moment.”

–IANS