The Indian player Washington Sundar is set to join the India squad in the match against Sri Lanka for the finals in the Asia Cup 2023.
Washington Sundar replaces injured Axar Patel for the Asia Cup finals
Washington Sundar has been called up as a backup for Axar Patel, who emerged with niggles during the match against Bangladesh in the Super Fours of the continental event. The niggle is due to the throw that struck him on his elbow. He went for a scan on Saturday which results are awaited. It is likely he’ll be missing the finals on Sunday.
He is expected to be available for India’s upcoming ODI series against Australia which is scheduled to start on September 22. Sundar is a part of India’s Asian Cup squad and they are currently in a training camp, in Bengaluru. He is expected to join the camp after the finals. The Asian Games squad will have their training camp till September 23 before the games kick-off in Hangzhou, China.
Axar Patel scored 42 runs on 34 deliveries, including 3 boundaries and 2 sixes. He was also a part of two partnerships, first with Shubman Gill scoring a 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket and a 40-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Shardul Thakur. Shubman Gill had an impressive score of 121 runs but India lost the match with six runs in the last over.
Sundar had made his last appearance at the ODI home series against New Zealand in January and missed the provisional 15-member World Cup Squad. It will be useful for the side with his off-spin in the finals to tackle Sri Lanka left-handers. The Indian team already has two spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, adding Sunday would boost the bowling strength of the side.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka Spinner has sustained an injury as he strained his right hamstring during the match against Pakistan and will not be available for the final. His muscle injury was confirmed by a scan, due to which he was sidelined during the Pakistan innings and never returned to the field for the chase.
Hence, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced Sahan Arachchige as Theekshana’s replacement in the squad. Theekshana will be sent for rehabilitation work.
With some players injured on both sides, India and Sri Lanka will be facing each other in the finals of the Asia Cup 2023 on September 17 at R. Premadasa Stadium.
