In a significant setback for Sri Lanka, the ICC announced on Sunday that captain Dasun Shanaka will be absent for the remainder of the ongoing Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
The Event Technical Committee of the tournament has given the green light for Chamika Karunaratne to step in as a replacement for Shanaka in the Sri Lankan squad. Karunaratne, with 23 ODIs under his belt, was chosen as the substitute following Shanaka's withdrawal due to a right thigh muscle injury sustained during Sri Lanka's match against Pakistan on October 10. The injury is expected to require three weeks of recovery. Karunaratne was initially listed as the traveling reserve for Sri Lanka, while Kusal Mendis serves as the designated vice-captain in the original squad, which was already missing one of their star players, Wanindu Hasaranga
Sri Lanka has faced defeats in both of their matches so far in the tournament, going up against South Africa and Pakistan in two high-scoring contests. Their next challenge is Australia on Monday in Lucknow, featuring two winless teams. It's important to note that the replacement of a player must receive approval from the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially included in the squad.
