ICC World Cup 2023: Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera added as traveling reserves to Sri Lanka squad

In response to Sri Lanka’s underwhelming performance in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera have been summoned by the Sri Lankan national selectors to join the squad as traveling reserves. The decision was made after the Sri Lankan team experienced a challenging start to the tournament, suffering three consecutive losses and finding themselves at the bottom of the points table.

Even before the World Cup began, the Sri Lankan team was grappling with an injury crisis. Star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was unable to recover in time for the tournament. The situation worsened when their captain, Dasun Shanaka, sustained a quadriceps tear during a match against Pakistan, leading to his replacement by Chamika Karunaratne, who was not initially part of the original squad but had traveled with the team as a reserve.

In addition to these setbacks, the team had to contend with the unavailability of Dushmantha Chameera, who was ruled out due to a shoulder injury when the World Cup squad was announced. However, recent reports indicate that Chameera has made a full recovery, making him a valuable addition to the team. His inclusion is expected to strengthen the struggling Sri Lankan bowling attack. Another player, Matheesha Pathirana, was sidelined due to inflammation in his bowling arm, further exacerbating the injury crisis within the team.

Sri Lanka Cricket officially announced the decision via their official communication channels, stating that both Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera would be joining the team on Friday, October 20. The move was intended to ensure the team has adequate replacements on hand to address contingencies such as injuries to existing squad members. Sri Lanka’s next match will be against the Netherlands, scheduled to take place in Lucknow on October 21. So far, Sri Lanka has yet to secure a victory in the World Cup 2023 after three games.