Sydney: Sri Lanka on Wednesday added fast bowlers Asitha Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana and wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella as back-up players to their Men’s T20 World Cup squad in Australia following a series of injuries to their players.
The trio has been called to remain as backups if the need arises for them to replace players in their main squad. Tim McCaskill, head of Sri Lanka Cricket’s high-performance center, will also travel to Australia with the players.
“SLC has decided to send 3 additional players to Australia to remain as backups in the event of any replacements,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a tweet.
“Niroshan Dickwella, Asitha Fernando, & Matheesa Pathirana will be sent along with Tim McCaskill, Head of the High Performance Center of the SLC,” it added.
The decision comes a day after left-arm seamer Binura Fernando, who himself came into the squad as a replacement for Dilshan Madushanka, suffered a hamstring injury during Sri Lanka’s loss against Australia. He could only bowl five deliveries in the match before leaving the field.
The 27-year old Binura is just the latest Sri Lanka pacer to suffer an injury leading up to and during the T20 World Cup. They had lost left-arm quick Madushanka to a quad injury before the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s pace spearhead Dushmantha Chameera was then ruled out of the mega event after suffering a grade-two tear in the calf of his left foot during the group stage match against UAE on October 18. Seamer Pramod Madushan also suffered an injury and hasn’t played since the match against UAE although he hasn’t been officially ruled out yet.
Not only in batting, Sri Lanka have also suffered a blow in the batting department after a hamstring injury to Danushka Gunathilaka during the group stage. Ashen Bandara was called up as Gunathilaka’s replacement, and he had to step in and play in Sri Lanka’s first Super 12 match against Ireland in place of Pathum Nissanka, who was rested due to groin injury.
Sri Lanka have so far beaten Ireland and lost to Australia in the Super 12 stage. They next face New Zealand at the SCG on Saturday.
–IANS
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