Sri Lankan T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga is expected to miss at least another week of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 action. Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) star overseas recruit has been instructed by the Sri Lankan cricket board to seek further medical opinion to ascertain the extent of his left heel injury.
Hasaranga complained of pain and the medical staff narrowed it down to musculo-skeletal apparatus in his left heel, as per a report by ESPNCricinfo.
He is expected to leave Sri Lanka to consult a doctor. Meanwhile, he is unlikely to join SRH's squad in the near future. Considering the chronic pain in his left heel, the priority will be to remain fit for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
SRH roped him in for Rs 1.5 crore in the IPL mini-auction. In the IPL 2022 season, he justified the Rs 10.75 crore tag and bagged 26 wickets.
Hasaranga’s smart move or coincidence?
Earlier this month, Hasaranga came out of Test retirement only to get suspended from representing Sri Lanka in the Test series after conceding eight demerit points for breaching article 2.8 of the players' code of conduct during the third and final ODI of the series against Bangladesh.
Many looked at it as a ploy to avoid missing the first few matches of the T20 World Cup 2024. However, Sri Lanka Cricket falsified such claims saying that Hasaranga informed the board about it in an email on March 16.
SRH look to register first win
SRH lost their campaign opener by just four runs to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a last-ball thriller at Eden Gardens. They will play their first home against Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 27.
If Hasaranga pulls out of IPL 2024, SRH will be left with seven overseas players in the squad midway through the season. Currently, they are relying on the services of leggie Mayank Markande.
Also, the team management will be searching for Hasaranga’s overseas replacement from the available pool of players.
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