Matheesha Pathirana ruled out of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023; Replacement announced

Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana has been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 due to a shoulder injury.

Sri Lankan Matheesha Pathirana's unfortunate shoulder injury has ruled him out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Despite his valiant efforts to recover, he sustained the injury during warm-up matches. He played two games in the tournament against South Africa and Pakistan. However, the severity of the injury ultimately forced him to be out of the tournament.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Angelo Mathews as a replacement for Matheesha Pathirana in the Sri Lanka squad.

Angelo Mathews replaces Matheesha Pathirana

Former Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews has been called upon to fill the void. Mathews, who has played 221 ODIs, has been named as a replacement after Pathirana failed to recover from a shoulder injury sustained during a warm-up match and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament.

In accordance with the rules, a replacement in the World Cup can only take place after the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 approves it. This process ensures fairness and maintains the integrity of the competition. Teams are allowed to make changes to their squad during the World Cup, but these changes must meet the criteria set forth by the governing body of cricket.

The inclusion of Angelo Mathews solidifies Sri Lanka's team, he is an experienced player and has experience of playing in India. He can be a good asset to this team and be a valuable all-rounder.

The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 consists of Wasim Khan (ICC General Manager – Cricket and ETC Chair), Chris Tetley (ICC Head of Events), Hemang Amin (Acting CEO - BCCI), Gaurav Saxena (General Manager – Operations, BCCI), Russel Arnold and Simon Doull (Independent Representatives).