Event Technical Committee approves replacement in Sri Lanka’s squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
The ICC has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 has approved Kusal Perera as a replacement player for Dinesh Chandimal in Sri Lanka’s squad for the tournament.
Chandimal suffered a hamstring injury during his side’s match against Australia in Sydney and has been ruled out of further participation in the tournament.
Perera has played 41 ODIs for Sri Lanka in which he has scored 839 runs with one century and four half-centuries. His last ODI was against England in Pallekele in December 2014.
Any injury or illness-based replacement requires a written submission to the Event Technical Committee along with a diagnosis from a medical practitioner as to the extent of the injury or illness. Once replaced, a player may not return to the squad save as an approved subsequent replacement for another injured or ill player.
The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager – Cricket, Chairman), Campbell Jamieson (ICC General Manager – Commercial), John Harnden (Chief Executive, CWC 2015 LOC), Gavin Larsen (Cricket Operations Manager, New Zealand), Russel Arnold and Sanjay Manjrekar (independent nominees).
Sri Lanka is in Pool A of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 along with co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, Bangladesh, England, and qualifiers Afghanistan and Scotland. Sri Lanka has played five matches, winning three. Its sixth and final pool stage match is against Scotland in Hobart on Wednesday, 11 March. The 1996 world champion has already qualified for the quarter-final, which it will play in Sydney on Wednesday, 18 March against an opponent to be determined by the respective finishing positions in the pool stage.
Bitter blow as Chandimal ruled out of World Cup
Batsman Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup after he sustained a hamstring injury during the epic clash between Sri Lanka and Australia in Sydney on Sunday. Chandimal had to retire hurt due to the hamstring injury during the run chase after his sparkling half-century kept Sri Lankan fans interested.
Chandimal hurt his hamstring when he attempted to play a pull shot off Mitchell Johnson in the 41st over of the Sri Lankan innings. He was in pain and received treatment from team’s physiotherapist Steve Mount. With runners not allowed after the rule change to playing conditions, Chandimal continued. He dived attempting a second run later in the same Johnson over and that seemed to have aggravated the injury.
After facing just one more delivery in the next over by Shane Watson, the 25-year-old gave up his fight and returned to the dressing room having spiced things up. Sri Lanka were 281 for four at that stage in the 42nd over and required 96 from 54 balls.
Chandimal was taken for scans and the team received the bad news Monday morning. The batsman will be out of action for at least three weeks.
Chandimal came in at the fall of Kumar Sangakkara and took on Watson immediately by hitting 16 runs off his fourth over. His half-century came off just 22 deliveries and kept the packed house at SCG entertained.
He is the fifth Sri Lankan to be injured during the World Cup. Dhammika Prasad, Jeewan Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne had to be replaced due to injuries while Rangana Herath, who hurt his spinning finger, still remains in the squad.
Kusal Janith Perera, who is already in Australia, will come in for Chandimal. Sri Lanka have opted for two more players as cover and Tharindu Kaushal and Kithruwan Vithanage have been flown in to Australia.
The Sri Lankans arrived in Hobart yesterday and will train today morning at the Bellerive Oval. It’s cold, gloomy and windy here in Hobart and the team will have to adjust to conditions quickly after enjoying bright sunshine in Sydney.
Rex Clementine reporting from Hobart – Source The Island
