Trouble For Sri Lanka As Kusal Perera Suffers Shoulder Injury During World Cup Warm-Up Match, Retires Hurt

Sri Lanka have suffered a huge injury scare ahead of opening their World Cup campaign. Already without a number of key players for the ICC World Cup 2023, the Islanders might miss the services of another big name in the competition as their hard-hitting opener Kusal Perera picked up a shoulder injury on Friday (September 29).

The left-handed batsman made an impressive start with the bat during the ongoing warm-up game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Guwahati. He raced away to 34 runs off just 24 balls with the help of six fours before retiring hurt after experiencing pain in his right shoulder.

Even before walking off the field, Kusal Perera was struggling with the shoulder and had called the physio a couple of times. And with the World Cup ahead, he decided against taking any risk with the shoulder and eventually walked off the field. Kusal Mendis replaced him in the middle.

Major concern: Kusal Perera retired hurt due to a concern with his shoulder after scoring 34* (24) #WarmUp pic.twitter.com/2kCNFKUA9j

— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) September 29, 2023

Sri Lanka Tumble After A Good Start By Pathum Nissanka And Kusal Perera

Sri Lanka will be hoping that the injury is not serious and the batsman remains fit for their first game in the World Cup. The southpaw recently returned to the ODI team for the Asia Cup after a gap of more than two years as he battled a number of injuries. He played two matches in the Asia Cup but failed to make much of an impression.

However, Kusal Perera is more than capable of taking any attack to the cleaners on his day. So far, he has played 109 ODIs for Sri Lanka, scoring more than 3000 runs with the help of six centuries and 15 half-centuries.

Talking about the ongoing warm-up game, Sri Lanka have made a solid start with the bat. At the time of writing this report, they were on 103 for no loss in the 15th over. Pathum Nissanka was batting on 47 while Kusal Mendis was on 22. Sri Lanka are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign on October 7 against South Africa in Delhi.

Sri Lanka squad for ICC World Cup 2023: Dasun Shanaka (C), Kusal Mendis (VC), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka

Reserve: Chamika Karunaratne