In cricket, it’s always sad to see a player get injured and miss out on any match, especially a World Cup. But for Sri Lanka, bringing in Dushmantha Chameera in place of the struggling Matheesha Pathirana doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all. This change might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the team.
The team management has already submitted Pathirana’s medical documents to the ICC’s Event Technical Committee. They’re waiting for clearance to include Chameera, who is one of their premier fast bowlers, in the squad.
Chameera was not initially in the World Cup squad because he was recovering from injuries. However, he flew to Lucknow as a reserve player and to cover for Pathirana. Unfortunately, Pathirana’s shoulder issue hasn’t healed in time, so Sri Lanka might just get their wish for a replacement.
Pathirana did play in Sri Lanka’s first two World Cup matches against South Africa and Pakistan, but he couldn’t make a big impact. As a result, he was sidelined for the Australia and Netherlands games in Lucknow. While he was a sensation in this year’s Indian Premier League, he hasn’t quite adapted to the 50-over format.
Sri Lanka might have been better off using him for T20 cricket and introducing him to the 50-over format after a couple of domestic seasons. However, they rushed him into such a big event as the World Cup, and it’s been a struggle.
Pathirana is not the only injury concern for Sri Lanka. Maheesh Theekshana has been dealing with a troublesome hamstring. He had recovered fully from a hamstring injury he sustained before the Asia Cup final and was a crucial part of the team in the early World Cup fixtures. However, he seemed to struggle during the match against the Netherlands in Lucknow.
Chameera, when fully fit, has troubled many famous batting line-ups. His smooth action is a treat to watch, and his pace can be unsettling for batsmen. But injuries have plagued Chameera’s career. Last year, he underwent surgery in Australia during the T20 World Cup, and he returned to action early this year in the ODI series against Afghanistan, only to break down again after just two ODIs.
Lahiru Kumara, who is probably the fastest bowler in the country, has also been prone to injuries and has often left the captain hanging by walking off halfway through spells.
Questions about whether Sri Lanka has managed its injured players properly and the effectiveness of their rehabilitation process have lingered for a few years, and solutions seem hard to come by.
Last year, during the national cricket team’s T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, they promised to take corrective measures for the injury issues, but it appears that those measures haven’t yielded the desired results.