Matheesha returns to Sri Lanka, exit yet to be ratified by ICC technical committee

Seamer Matheesha Pathirana, who has been ruled out of the Cricket World Cup, returned home from Bengaluru today.

He has been ruled out due to a right shoulder injury.

The 20-year-old didn’t feature in Sri Lanka’s last two matches against Australia and Netherlands and will not play any further part in the 13th edition of the Men’s ICC World Cup as he is still experiencing the pain in his bowling arm.

Pathirana had complained about pain in his right shoulder after Pakistan’s match in Hyderabad.

An MRI scan had shown a shoulder contusion and he was on a 10-day rehabilitation program to get back to the game.

His condition has not improved as he is still unable to bowl or throw without pain.

Accordingly, the team management requested the World Cup Event Technical Committee to release him from the squad, in order to facilitate a replacement.

However, ICC is yet to make an official announcement of Pathirana’s exit.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) last Thursday added veteran batter Angelo Mathews and seamer Dushmantha Chameera as traveling reserves but are yet to make a decision on Pathirana’s replacement.

Both Mathews and Chameera joined the team training this evening in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, spinner Maheesh Theekshana who suffered a hamstring injury during Sri Lanka’s nervy five-wicket win over Netherlands Saturday did not attend the training session.

(Champika Fernando in Bengaluru)