Sri Lanka have had a tough time against India in the ongoing series so far as they lost the ODI series before conceding the T20I series opener as well. Despite the defeats, Sri Lanka showed a lot of fight and courage with young players doing well from match to match.

Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka and Chamika Karunaratne have done well so far in the series. Wanindu Hasaranga has also shone lately with his all-round skills. These players are looking like a silver lining for Sri Lanka amidst all the hard defeats they have suffered in international cricket in recent months.

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Meanwhile, the legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan backs Hasaranga to grab an IPL contract in the upcoming season after showing good potential against India. Muralitharan, though, feels it would be hard for him to get many playing opportunities keeping the four foreign players quota in mind.

“IPL franchise should look at him. But the problem is if it’s a local player, he walks into the side. But if it’s a foreign player, you have to see which franchise wants a foreign spinner. It’s a tricky thing. They will buy him but playing him is something that will not be easy for a franchise. Because some franchises look mostly at Indian spinners rather than foreign spinners,” Muralitharan said in a chat on ESPNCricinfo.

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“He will get a launch and if he gets a game or two and performs, then he will be a regular player. He bowls well in the T20s most of the time. In shorter games, he is a very good bowler.”

Hasaranga shone brightly in the ODI series as well as during the first T20I in Colombo. He has troubled the Indian batsmen so far in the series and has shown glimpses of a bright future. He can be a good prospect in the IPL keeping the introduction of two new franchises in mind.