(AFP Photo)
Sri Lanka’s upcoming three-match T20I series against India, commencing on Saturday (July 27), has hit a snag even before its start. The Sri Lankan team received unfortunate news on Thursday (July 25) as star pacer Nuwan Thushara sustained a finger injury during training.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Thushara fractured a finger on his left hand, forcing him to sit out at least the entirety of the T20I series against India.
According to Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda, Nuwan Thushara sustained a significant injury on his non-bowling hand, which occurred during a night training session on Wednesday. This injury has unfortunately ruled him out of the upcoming T20I series against India.
This setback compounds Sri Lanka’s bowling challenges, as senior fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera was earlier sidelined due to illness, with Asitha Fernando stepping in as his replacement, as announced by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
There are reports suggesting that left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka might be considered as Thushara’s replacement for the T20I series.
Thushara, who made his T20I debut for Sri Lanka in February 2022 against Australia, has taken 19 wickets in 11 matches so far, including an impactful performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 Group D matches, where he claimed eight wickets.
His absence will be keenly felt by the Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lankan side, which is already grappling with the absence of several key players for various reasons.
India vs Sri Lanka head-to-head in T20Is
In their history of T20I encounters, India and Sri Lanka have squared off 29 times, with India emerging victorious on 19 occasions.
Fresh off their triumph in securing their second T20 World Cup title after a 17-year gap, India, now the top-ranked T20I team in the world, aims to make a strong statement under the guidance of Gautam Gambhir, who leads the team for the first time as head coach. Following Rohit Sharma’s recent retirement from T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav has been named as India’s captain for the upcoming T20I series, marking a significant transition in leadership for the shortest format.
