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Sri Lanka, which had been showing signs of improvement in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023, faced a significant setback as they lost the services of their key pacer, Lahiru Kumara, for the remainder of the tournament.
Lahiru Kumara’s match-winning performance against England
Kumara played a starring role in Sri Lanka’s recent victory over England in Bengaluru. His outstanding outing of 3/35 in seven overs, which included taking the wickets of prominent English batters such as Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone and Ben Stokes, earned him the Player of the Match title. Throughout the CWC 2023, Kumara had been a vital asset for Sri Lanka, picking five wickets in his four appearances.
Kumara’s tournament-ending injury and the announcement of new replacement
However, the promising pacer suffered an unfortunate left thigh injury during a practice session in Pune, just before Sri Lanka’s crucial clash against Afghanistan at the MCA International Stadium on Monday (October 30). This injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament. In response, Sri Lanka sought approval from the Event Technical Committee to include Dushmantha Chameera in their squad as Kumara’s replacement.
Also READ: World Cup 2023: Fans come up with mixed reactions after Virat Kohli departs for a 9-ball duck against England in Lucknow
Notably, Chameera was initially excluded from Sri Lanka’s 15-member World Cup squad due to an injury he had sustained during the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Nevertheless, he, along with the experienced Angelo Mathews, was later called up as a traveling reserve. Mathews himself had entered the squad as a substitute for the injured pacer Matheesha Pathirana right before the England game.
🚨 Chameera approved as replacement for Kumara in Sri Lanka squad 🚨
The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Dushmantha Chameera as a replacement for Lahiru Kumara in the Sri Lanka squad.
Chameera, who has played 44 ODIs, was named as… pic.twitter.com/XFwzKDCwX8
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 29, 2023
Sri Lanka’s world cup campaign
Despite these challenges, Sri Lanka continues their World Cup journey with a determined spirit. With two wins from five appearances in the tournament, they currently occupy the fifth position in the standings with four group fixtures remaining.
