SL vs NZ 2024: Dushan Hemantha replaces injured Wanindu Hasaranga for New Zealand ODIs
Sri Lanka has suffered a major blow ahead of their three-match ODI series at home against New Zealand as spinner Wanindu Hasranga has been ruled out after picking up an injury in the recently concluded T20I series against the same opposition. Dushan Hemantha has been named as Hasaranga’s replacement, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed.
“Sri Lanka Team Update. New Zealand Tour of Sri Lanka 2024. Wanindu Hasaranga: Hasaranga, who sustained a left hamstring injury while bowling in the second T20I, will be unavailable for the ODI series. He returned to Colombo and has started injury rehabilitation at the High Performance Center. Replacement: Dushan Hemantha has been added to the squad in place of Hasaranga,” Sri Lanka Cricket captioned the post on Instagram.
Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka also confirmed the same at the post-match press conference ahead of the New Zealand ODIs. “Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the ODI series, but I think Kusal Mendis will be ready to play one day.”
Hasaranga’s absence will be a blow to the hosts, especially since he was in form and won the Player of the Series award for his six wickets in the two T20Is against the Black Caps in the T20I series, which ended on level terms.
“Finally, I can have a few week’s break after this match. I think it’s bad. I wanted to bowl my four overs to cut down their total. I can’t run, so I tried to maximize with the bat, but I got out. I wanted to bowl the stumps’ line with the 5-meter length; I tried to do my basic things,” Hasaranga had said after receiving his Player of the Series award.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and New Zealand will lock horns in Dambulla in the first ODI on November 13. The second and third ODIs will be played in Pallekelle on November 17 and 19.