Sri Lanka’s high-flying T20 World Cup campaign has been dealt a massive blow with slinger Matheesha Pathirana officially ruled out of the remainder of the tournament. The 23-year-old speedster suffered a left calf strain during his opening over against Australia in Pallekele on February 16, hobbling off the field after just four deliveries.
While the Lankans managed to secure a clinical eight-wicket win in that fixture, subsequent scans confirmed the worst, forcing the ICC’s Event Technical Committee to approve left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka as his injury replacement.
The injury adds to a growing list of casualties for the islanders, who are already grappling with the absence of star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (hamstring). Batting consultant Vikram Rathour confirmed the news ahead of Sri Lanka’s final group clash against Zimbabwe, acknowledging the void left by Pathirana’s lethal death-bowling and unorthodox action.
While there is optimism that Hasaranga could feature later in the knockout stages if the team progresses, the loss of two frontline wicket-takers remains a major headache for captain Dasun Shanaka.
All eyes now turn to Madushanka, who was Sri Lanka’s standout performer in the 2023 ODI World Cup with 21 scalps. However, the 25-year-old enters the fray with significant rust, having recently returned from a long injury layoff himself.
His last competitive outing was in August 2025, and his T20I economy rate of 9.75 suggests he has a steep mountain to climb. Despite the bowling concerns, Sri Lanka remains unbeaten in the tournament and will look to carry that momentum into a challenging Super 8 schedule that includes a high-voltage clash against England on February 22.
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