Revealed: Why Wanindu Hasaranga isn't playing 2nd SL vs IND ODI in Colombo

Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets in the first ODI.

The second SL vs IND ODI match got underway at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 4. The first ODI ended in a tie and the series still stands 0-0.

For the second match, India fielded the same playing XI as it was in the first game, while hosts Sri Lanka have made a couple of changes, Kamindu Mendis and Jeffrey Vandersay replaced Wanindu Hasaranga and Mohamed Shiraz. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first.

Why is Wanindu Hasaranga not playing in the 2nd ODI vs India?

On the eve of the second ODI against India, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the remaining two ODIs due to an injury to his left hamstring. The cricket board revealed that the 27-year-old experienced some pain while delivering the last ball of his 10th over during the opening fixture.

After the game, an MRI was performed which confirmed the injury. The 34-year-old leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay has been named Hasranga’s replacement for the last two ODIs.

“He experienced pain in his left hamstring while delivering the last ball of his 10th over during the first ODI. An MRI performed on the player, following this, confirmed the injury,” the SLC stated in a media release on Saturday (August 3).

In the opening ODI, the 27-year-old Hasaranga played a huge role with the bat and ball for Sri Lanka. With the bat, he scored 24 crucial runs, which helped his side reach a respectable total of 230/8.

With the ball, the wily leg-spinner dismissed three Indian batters and conceded 58 runs in his 10-over spell. The 27-year-old took two important wickets of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, which helped his side pull things back and tie the match.

Hasranga’s absence added more misery to the injury-hit Sri Lanka. Earlier, pacers Dilshan Madushanka (hamstring) and Matheesha Pathirana (shoulder) were ruled out of the ODIs before the start of the series. 

Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis and respiratory infection) and Nuwan Thushara (thumb injury) were ruled out of the white-ball tour of India before the T20Is.

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