COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket team has lost a key player ahead of the all-important Asia Cup title clash against India on 17 September.
Sri Lanka’s off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana will not be available for the Asia Cup final against India, the country’s cricket board (SLC) said on Saturday.
Theekshana, 23, strained his right hamstring while sliding near the boundary and received treatment from the team physiotherapist.
He bowled three more overs before being helped off the field during Sri Lanka’s thrilling two-wicket win on Thursday. Following a scan, a muscle injury was confirmed.
The selectors have brought Sahan Arachchige in as a replacement. Arachchige has played two ODIs. He bats in the middle-order and bowls off-breaks.
Theekshana’s loss is a big blow to the tournament hosts. He was a key performer for Sri Lanka and had claimed eight wickets at an average of 29.12 in five matches. He will return to the High Performance Center to commence rehabilitation work.
Theekshana will “definitely be ready” for next month’s 50-overs World Cup in India, which starts on Oct. 5, according to Professor Arjuna de Silva, chair of SLC’s medical committee.
“The MRI scan is showing a tear – not a big tear,” he was quoted as saying. “Clinically, Theekshana is okay. He’s moving around and not feeling too much pain”.
“If we didn’t have a World Cup coming up, we would have somehow tried to get him ready for tomorrow’s match. But we don’t want to take that risk.”
Meanwhile, Washington Sundar is expected to join the India squad as cover for Axar Patel after the all-rounder sustained an injury in Friday’s six-run loss to Bangladesh.
Sundar, 23, was named in a second-string India squad for the Asian Games in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, where the men’s competition starts on September 27. He is expected to re-join the Asian Games camp after the Asia Cup final.
