Kamal Ghorui
Sri Lanka have drafted in spin-bowling all-rounder Dushan Hemantha as a replacement for injured star Wanindu Hasaranga in their squad for the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The move comes after Hasaranga, a key figure in Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, was ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained during the team’s tournament opener against Ireland.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Hasaranga delivered a spirited performance in that match despite discomfort, completing his four overs and finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 25. However, an MRI scan conducted on Monday confirmed a serious tear in his left hamstring, forcing the team management to make a change ahead of their upcoming fixture against Oman on Thursday.
The ICC confirmed that the Event Technical Committee had approved Hemantha’s inclusion. “The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Dushan Hemantha as a replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga in the Sri Lanka squad,” the governing body said in an official release. The 31-year-old has represented Sri Lanka in five ODIs and three T20 Internationals and brings valuable spin depth to a side already under pressure in the tournament.Meanwhile, the ICC also approved a squad replacement for New Zealand after Michael Bracewell suffered a calf injury during warm-ups against Afghanistan in Chennai on February 8. The Black Caps are yet to announce a replacement player.All squad changes during the tournament require approval from the Event Technical Committee, which includes ICC General Manager Wasim Khan, Gaurav Saxena, Hemang Amin and former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock.
