Sri Lankan fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of the upcoming Sri Lanka home series against India as he is recovering from a Bronchitis and respiratory infection. Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) names Asitha Fernando as the replacement player.
During the India tour of Sri Lanka 2024, a total of three T20Is and three ODIs were scheduled to be played between 27 July and 07 August.
Sri Lankan cricket team who had a dreadful outing in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 was expected to make a bounce back with the home series against India.
“Only yesterday did we get back the reports, and it can be confirmed that he will miss the T20Is and ODIs against India”, said Sri Lanka’s chief selector Upul Tharanga.
Dushmantha Chameera who is well known for his raw pace faced a series of injuries in the past two years. He was ruled out of the Asia Cup 2022 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia in the same year due to a calf injury.
With a shoulder injury, he was ruled out of the subsequent Asia Cup in 2023. Though the pacer was initially not selected for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 he made it into the after being named as the replacement for Matheesha Pathirana.
With a quadriceps injury, he was also ruled out of the tournament halfway and eventually missed the home series against Afghanistan and Bangladesh earlier this year.
Though the pacer was named in the Sri Lanka squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, he didn’t make any appearance in the tournament.
Even in the recently concluded Lanka Premier League(LPL), Chameera made only five appearances for the Kandy Falcons but missed the second half of the tournament.
As Wanindu Hasaranga stepped down as T20I captain, the SLC named Charith Asalanka as their new skipper for the India series.
The revamped Sri Lankan squad also sees veteran Angelo Mathews and the experienced Dhananjaya de Silva going out of the squad while senior players like Dinesh Chandimal, and Kusal Janith Perera make their way in.
Sri Lanka squad for T20Is vs IND: Charith Asalanka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando
