The Sri Lanka cricket team finally declared their 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup 2023 on Tuesday. All-rounder Dasun Shanaka will be leading the side but then the island nation suffered a huge blow when their ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga went down with a hamstring injury and as a result, he will not take part in the mega event which is slated to take place in India from October 5.
The reason why Sri Lankan management delayed the team announcement is that they were assessing Hasaranga's fitness. The premier wrist spinner sustained a strain in a thigh last month while taking part in the playoffs of the Lankan Premier League, where he finished the tournament as the top run scorer with 279 runs and the leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets.
Sri Lanka opted for spinner Maheesh Theekshana and they are hopeful that he would recuperate from the hamstring tear he sustained during the Asia Cup. Theekshana even missed out on playing in the Asia Cup final against India. Players like Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka are back in the setup as the duo missed Asia Cup 2023 due to injury concerns.
The Island nation will take part in two warm-up games before heading into the main event of the World Cup. They will play against Bangladesh on 29 September and Afghanistan on 2 October. In the season opener, they will lock horns with South Africa at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 7.
Sri Lanka Squad for World Cup 2023
Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka.
Travelling reserve: Chamika Karunaratne