Sri Lanka has decided to include experienced all-rounder Angelo Mathews in their 2023 World Cup squad as a replacement for the young pacer Matheesha Pathirana.
He got injured in their match against Pakistan on October 10. Pathirana had to leave the tournament due to a shoulder injury, but it’s not clear how long his recovery will take.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had included Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera in the squad as replacements in case of injuries.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera will join the team in India as traveling reserves,” an official statement read on October 19.
“The Sri Lanka Cricket Selectors took this decision in order to ensure that the team has ready replacements in place to face contingencies, such as an injury to an existing squad member.”
While Chameera might have been a more direct substitute, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) appears to have opted for improved batting stability.
Angelo Mathews, aged 36, has participated in 221 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for Sri Lanka. He has accumulated 5865 runs at an average of 41.01 and taken 120 wickets with his medium-paced bowling.
He typically bats in the middle order and was proficient at handling the new ball during his prime. Angelo Mathews has experienced a series of recalls and omissions from the team in recent years.
Despite this, he has participated in all three recent editions of the World Cup. Notably, during the 2019 World Cup, he delivered an impressive performance, crafting a notable 113 runs off 128 balls against India in Leeds.
Matheesha Pathirana faced difficulties and was not performing well in the 2023 World Cup
Matheesha Pathirana, considered a rising star in Sri Lankan fast bowling, had a strong performance before the World Cup but encountered difficulties once the tournament started in India.
He gave away 95 runs in a match against South Africa on a flat pitch in Delhi and conceded 90 runs against Pakistan, managing only two wickets in total.
The decision to rule him out adds to the ongoing injury problems within the Sri Lankan team, which have reached an unprecedented level. Many key players, including captain Dasun Shanaka, are already unavailable for the tournament.
With just one victory from five matches, Sri Lanka currently occupies the ninth position in the standings, slightly ahead of England based on net run rate.
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