Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Wednesday, 11 February 2026 00:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Dushan Hemantha
Wanindu Hasaranga
Co-host Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign has been badly hit with their star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga being ruled out of the tournament with a Grade 2A left hamstring injury.
The MRI scans showed a bigger tear in Hasaranga’s left hamstring than the one he suffered in 2023 (Grade 1A) that required surgery and kept him out of the Cricket World Cup in India.
Hasaranga’s absence is a big blow to Sri Lanka who are struggling to make an impact in the World Cup.
Despite his injury Hasaranga bowled his quota of 4 overs taking 3/24 to enable Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 20 runs and begin the T20 World Cup on a winning note.
Hasaranga is expected to be out of action from 4 to 6 weeks which completely rules him out of the T20 World Cup. His injury requires several weeks of rehabilitation.
Hasaranga is the second highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup with 40 wickets from 20 matches. He is only 11 wickets short of overhauling Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan who holds the record with 50 wickets from 43 matches. However, with this unforeseen injury Hasaranga will have to wait until the next T20 World Cup in 2026 in Australia and New Zealand to go after the record.
Sri Lanka Cricket has written to the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup seeking leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha as a replacement for Hasaranga for the rest of the tournament.
31-year-old Hemantha has played in 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is for Sri Lanka.
Hasaranga is the second casualty Sri Lanka has suffered in the T20 World Cup. Prior to the commencement of the tournament fast bowler Eshan Malinga who dislocated his left shoulder while bowling during the second T20I against England was replaced by Pramod Madushan.
An official statement from Sri Lanka Cricket and the ICC is awaited on the replacement.
