(Web Desk) - Sri Lanka have been forced into another change to their beleaguered squad at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Matheesha Pathirana has not recovered from a shoulder injury, and the selectors have called time on his involvement in the remainder of the tournament.
Traveling reserve Angelo Mathews has been selected as his replacement, in a move that has been approved by the Event Technical Committee.
Pathirana played in Sri Lanka’s opening defeats to South Africa and Pakistan, but was not able to bowl to his full ability, conceding 185 runs across the two matches.
And the 20-year-old fast bowler’s time at the tournament has come to an early end.
His replacement Mathews has a wealth of experience, having played 221 ODIs for Sri Lanka in his lengthy career. A first-XI call-up in India would mean that Mathews has featured in each of the last four ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, following appearances in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
But 35-year-old Mathews brings a very different skill-set to that of strike-bowler Pathirana, whose continued absence will be keenly felt by a squad beset by injuries.
Key bowler Wanindu Hasaranga suffered an injury prior to the World Cup that ruled him out of Sri Lanka’s entire campaign, while seamer Dushmantha Chameera was only named as a reserve as he too struggled with injuries.
Sri Lanka’s injury struggles stepped up yet further when captain Dasun Shanaka was ruled out of the tournament with a torn quadricep, to be replaced by Chamika Krunaratne.
And the new-look Lankans will hope for some performances from their second-string players when they face England in their next match in Bengaluru on Thursday.