Sri Lanka have replaced the injured Matheesha Pathirana with Angelo Mathews in their 2023 World Cup squad.
It’s the latest in a series of injury blows for Sri Lanka in the competition. Before the tournament, they had to leave the injured Wanindu Hasaranga out of their squad, with the leg-spinner requiring surgery.
Ahead of the third match, they also lost their captain Dasun Shanaka as well. They replaced Shanaka with Chamika Karunaratne in the squad, and with Kusal Mendis as captain, and subsequently added Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera to their travelling reserves.
Fast bowler Pathirana picked up a shoulder injury during Sri Lanka’s match against Pakistan, and sat out of the clash against the Netherlands. A subsequent MRI scan revealed a shoulder contusion.
Sri Lanka have now replaced him with Mathews – and not fast bowler Chameera, an indication of them wanting to boost their batting at the cost of bowling.
A veteran of three World Cups, Mathews has 5,865 ODI runs, and averages a phenomenal 121.60 from his 11 ODIs on Indian soil at a strike rate of 97, though the last of these matches was back in 2017.
In fact, since the pandemic, Mathews has played only four ODIs. He has scored 35 runs in these. He also bowls seam – the 120 ODI wickets bear testimony to that – but he does not have an international wicket since the pandemic.
Sri Lanka squad at the 2023 World Cup: Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews. Travelling reserves: Dushmantha Chameera.
