Sri Lanka have been forced to make two key changes for its World Cup clash with Australia on Sunday after Rangana Herath and Dimuth Karunaratne were ruled out through injury.
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According to ESPNCricinfo, Herath has been ruled out after splitting the webbing in between his fingers during his side’s win over England last week.
Sri Lanka officials are hoping Herath will return in time for the knockout stage of the tournament.
The news is much worse with Karunaratne however, with the batsman to miss the remainder of the tournament after suffering a broken finger during training on Thursday.
“He has to undergo surgery and will be out for about four weeks,” Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya told ESPNcricinfo.
“He will return home and we have requested the ICC technical committee to include leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna in the squad as his replacement.”
Prasanna had been flown to Australia as cover for Herath, however ICC regulations stipulate that any injury changes in a squad are permanent.
It means Prasanna could have played against Australia if Herath was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.
With the injury to Karunaratne however, Prasanna will take up an active spot in the playing squad for the remainder of the tournament.
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