Wanindu Hasaranga. (Photo by Albert Perez-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Arjuna de Silva, Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) medical panel head, provided an update on Wanindu Hasaranga’s injury. The star spinner is currently dealing with the hamstring injury he sustained during the Lankan Premier League (LPL 2023) playoffs in August, which also kept him out of Sri Lanka’s recent Asia Cup campaign in which they finished as runners-up.
It is unlikely that the cricketer will participate in the forthcoming Cricket World Cup in India, which will be played from October 5 to November 19. According to Arjuna, the team management is currently talking with international doctors to determine whether the player requires surgery or not.
“We are consulting foreign doctors to see whether he needs surgery or not. If he does, he will be out for at least three months. At the moment, the situation is not that great and it’s highly unlikely that he can play the World Cup,” Arjuna de Silva told The Sunday Times newspaper in Sri Lanka.
We are looking at other options to see how best we can get his services: Aravinda de Silva
Furthermore, the former legendary Sri Lankan batter continued by saying that the 26-year-old all-rounder is a crucial part of Sri Lanka’s assault and that the team is currently looking at all options to get him to play in the showpiece event.
“Since he is a key weapon in our attack, we are looking at other options to see how best we can get his services at least for important games. All that depends on the opinions of the consultant to whom we are trying to show his reports,” he added.
Hasaranga’s absence from the entire World Cup will significantly reduce the team’s bowling resources. The ace leg spinner topped the wicket rankings at the two most recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cups as well as in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 in Zimbabwe in June.
Sri Lanka will kickstart their campaign in the ICC global event against South Africa at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 7. The 1996 World Cup winners are one among two teams who have not yet announced their squad for the marquee event.