T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka dealt major blow, Matheesha Pathirana set to miss remaining tournament
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka dealt major blow, Matheesha Pathirana set to miss remaining tournament")
T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka dealt major blow, Matheesha Pathirana set to miss remaining tournament Photograph: (AFP)
After suffering a calf injury on Wednesday (Feb 18), Matheesha Pathirana was taken for scans, which revealed the extent of the injury.
Sri Lanka have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Super 8 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup after star pacer Matheesha Pathirana is on the verge of getting ruled out. After suffering a calf injury on Wednesday (Feb 18), Pathirana was taken for scans, which revealed the extent of the injury. As things stand, no timeline has been set for his return, but he could miss the early stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026).
Pathirana out of T20 World Cup
"I think he's been declared unfit for the rest of the tournament. I think that news will be coming out if it's ruling him out. As far as the replacement is concerned, it's still being discussed,” Sri Lanka batting consultant Vikram Rathour said while speaking to the media on Wednesday.
“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Dilshan Madushanka as a replacement for Matheesha Pathirana in the Sri Lanka squad. Madushanka was named as a replacement when Pathirana was ruled out after sustaining a muscle strain in his left leg during the team’s previous match against Australia on 16 February,” a statement from ICC read.
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Pathirana had gone down clutching his left leg after bowling his fourth delivery in Sri Lanka's match against Australia in Pallekele, before being helped off the field. He did not return to bowl in that innings.
Sri Lanka play England in Pallekele, New Zealand at Khettarama, and a third as-yet-undetermined opponent in Pallekele again, during the Super Eight stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
