NEWS
Follow UsWanindu Hasaranga’s struggle with injuries continues as the leg-spinning was ruled out of the New Zealand ODIs with a hamstring injury. The bowling-all-rounder injured his hamstring during the second T20I against the same opposition and was later seen hobbling around on the field.
Hasaranga will now be replaced by another leg-spinner, Dushan Hemantha, although the latter isn’t expected to play in the ODI series, considering the presence of Jeffrey Vandersay, who has had a prolific year. Sri Lanka also has the duo of Maheesh Theekshan and Dunith Wellalage to form a spin troika alongside Vandersay.
Hasaranga’s absence will be a huge blow, with the rich vein of form he is in. The leg-spinner was one of the best bowlers in the T20I series thus far and was expected to continue his form.
It isn’t the first injury rule-out of the series, with New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson heading back home with a calf strain. After pulling out of last year’s IPL, there’s a strong chance that Hasaranga would have wanted to use the ODI series to reaffirm his worth at the mega auction.
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