NED vs SL: Angelo Mathews, Dushmantha Chameera To Join Sri Lanka's World Cup Squad As Traveling Reserves

Sri Lanka’s struggles in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 have prompted the team to consider the inclusion of veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera as traveling reserves. The team finds itself at the bottom of the points table, having suffered three consecutive losses.

The Sri Lankan squad faced a significant setback when their captain, Dasun Shanaka, succumbed to a thigh injury, leading to his replacement by Chamika Karunaratne. This injury added to their woes, as they were already missing the services of their star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who couldn’t recover in time from a hamstring injury.

The situation was exacerbated by Dushmantha Chameera’s initial unavailability, as he was ruled out of contention when the Sri Lankan World Cup squad was announced. His absence was due to a shoulder injury that had plagued him at the time.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

However, according to reports from the Daily Mirror Sri Lanka, Chameera has made a full recovery, making him a viable addition to the team as a traveling reserve. His inclusion is a significant boost for the Sri Lankan squad, especially in light of their struggling bowling attack.

Furthermore, with the young pace bowler Matheesha Pathirana sidelined for at least ten days due to an inflammation in his bowling arm, the inclusion of Chameera as an additional player serves as an insurance policy. This allows the team management the flexibility to bring him into the 15-man squad should any player be ruled out due to injury.

Angelo Mathews Set To Join Sri Lanka’s Squad In A Surprise Return

Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera will join the team in India as traveling reserves.

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… pic.twitter.com/k6g3hm7vBA

— Sri Lanka Cricket ?? (@OfficialSLC) October 19, 2023

On a different note, former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews, who had been sidelined from the national team due to a youth-focused selection policy, is making a surprising return to the World Cup scene. He had been excluded from the World Cup Qualifiers earlier this year and was not initially considered for the World Cup squad.

Mathews’ exclusion from white-ball cricket dates back to 2021 when the selectors opted for a youth-driven approach. However, with Sri Lanka facing a crisis in a crucial match against Australia, the selectors have decided to turn to Mathews’ experience to shore up the middle order.

The possible return of Angelo Mathews and the recovery of Dushmantha Chameera provide a glimmer of hope for Sri Lanka’s campaign in the World Cup. As they aim to bounce back from their early setbacks, the inclusion of these experienced players could prove to be a game-changer in their quest for success in the tournament.