On Friday, Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that wicket-keeper batsman Kusal Perera has been ruled out of the three-match ODI and the T20I series against India owing to a right shoulder sprain. Perera suffered a sprain on his right shoulder sprain during training. The 30-year-old was Sri Lanka’s main choice to be wicketkeeper after Niroshan Dickwella had received a suspension after breaching the bio-bubble in the UK.
In his career for Sri Lanka, Kusal Perera has amassed 3,071 runs in 107 ODIs along with 1,347 runs in 50 T20Is. Perera was the captain of the Lankan team in England but since the central contract dispute between players and the cricket board, Dasun Shanaka has been appointed captain at his expense.
🚨Kusal Perera will not be able to take part in the ODI and the T20I series against India owing to an injury.
🚨Binura Fernando sprained his left ankle during a practice session. Fernando will be unavailable for the ODI series.
READ: https://t.co/s0VjTKJhcN #SLvIND
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 16, 2021
Sri Lanka had recently played against England in three ODIs and three T20Is and the cricketers returned to Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening. Lankan men failed to win a single match on their tour to the UK as they whitewashed in teh three-match T20I series followed by a 2-0 loss in the ODI series.
ALSO READ: Dinesh Karthik Reveals The Reason Behind Him Leaving KKR Captaincy
SLC also confirmed that fast bowler Binura Fernando ad also suffered a sprain in his left ankle during a practice session held on Thursday. It’s a lateral ligament sprain so that’s why Fernando will also be unavailable for the ODI series of India.
Earlier, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the revised itinerary of India’s upcoming limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.
The official statement regarding the same read: “The tour comprising 3 ODIs and as many T20Is will now start from July 18th, 2021.”
ALSO READ: Barcelona To Build Its First Cricket Stadium After Rise Of Women’s Cricket
The three ODIs will now be played on July 18, 20, and 23 followed by the three T20Is will go ahead on July 25, 27, and 29.