Dasun Shanaka to miss Qualifier 2

Dambulla Giants captain Dasun Shanaka will miss today’s crunch Qualifier 2 of the Lanka Premier League against the Jaffna Kings, having not fully recovered from his back injury.

Shanaka suffered the injury in his team’s final game of the group stage and missed Qualifier 1 on Sunday against the Colombo Stars, which the Giants won by six wickets. 

Niroshan Dickwella has led the team in Shanaka’s absence, and will be tested in that capacity today with his Giants facing a team they haven’t beaten in the tournament so far – a team that appeared to be the favourites to win the tournament at the end of the group stage. 

The Giants have also been hit with the departure of Irish left-arm bowler Josh Little, who was called up by his national team after four players and an assistant coach drafted in for the tours of the United States and the West Indies tested positive for Covid-19. 

Little’s departure, and Shanaka’s injury absence, will create a selection headache for the Giants, who will not only miss a left-handed batter in the middle order, but now also a left-arm fast bowler. 

(SMD)