Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka ruled out of World Cup due to thigh injury

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka captain, Dasun Shanaka, has been forced to withdraw from the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup due to a thigh injury, as confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday. In his place, Chamika Karunaratne has been officially approved as a replacement in the squad.Shanaka sustained a right thigh muscle injury during Sri Lanka's recent six-wicket loss to Pakistan, and medical assessments have determined that he will require approximately three weeks to recover from the injury.The International Cricket Council (ICC) stated, "The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Chamika Karunaratne as a replacement for Dasun Shanaka in the Sri Lankan squad."Sri Lanka, currently ranked seventh in the tournament standings and having faced defeats in their initial two matches, are set to face Australia in their upcoming World Cup match on Monday in Lucknow. Shanaka's absence presents a significant challenge for the Sri Lankan team, and the addition of Karunaratne is aimed at bolstering their squad as they seek to improve their performance in the competition.(With inputs from Reuters)