RCB Approaches BCCI Requesting Wanindu Hasaranga As A Replacement For Adam Zampa: Reports

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have reportedly approached the BCCI asking for Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga as a player replacement for Adam Zampa for the second leg of the IPL 2021 which will resume from September 19 in the UAE.

Adam Zampa and pacer Kane Richardson had pulled out of the season during its first half, which was played in India, citing personal reasons, and returned back to Australia. Australian players are also likely to withdraw from the second half due to international matches before the T20 World Cup.

Wanindu Hasaranga has impressed everyone during the recently-concluded ODI and T20I series against India. He snapped 7 wickets in the 3 T20Is, with a best of 4/9 in the third T20I, bagging the Player of the Series award. The leg-spinner was extremely difficult to tackle for the young and inexperienced Indian batters, outfoxing them with his clever variations.

The 24-year-old also has a decent amount of hitting ability – as he showed on the tour to England with scores of 54, 26, and 20 in the ODIs, and he was Sri Lanka’s bright spot in the whitewash they received from the hosts.

The Royal Challengers, who sit at the third position on the points table with 5 wins in 7 matches, have shown interest in Wanindu Hasaranga after his remarkable performances against India. Earlier there were reports stating that as many as four IPL teams are eyeing the Sri Lankan all-rounder as a replacement for overseas players who are likely to be unavailable for the UAE leg.

They will buy Wanindu Hasaranga, but playing him will not be easy for a franchise: Muttiah Muralitharan

Former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is optimistic that Wanindu Hasaranga will be included in an IPL team, this season or next season, but is wary of his chances to play in the eleven considering that he will then occupy an overseas slot, especially with a plethora of local spinner available.

“An IPL franchise should look at him. But the problem is, if it’s a local player, he walks into the side. But if it’s a foreign player, you have to see which franchise wants a foreign spinner. It’s a tricky thing. They will buy him [Hasaranga] but playing him is something that will not be easy for a franchise. Some franchises look mostly at Indian spinners rather than foreign spinners,” Muttiah Muralitharan told ESPNCricinfo.

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