by Rex Clementine  

Given Sri Lanka’s excellent show in the T-20 World Cup last year, there was hope that we were beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel after the national cricket team’s transition had taken longer than people had wished. The performances of two players stood out towards the tail end of last year as Mickey Arthur’s side turned things around across all three formats. While Dushmantha Chameera was the highest wicket taker in the world in ODI cricket in 2021, Wanindu Hasaranga’s reputation reached new heights like that of Joe Biden, the first Catholic to be US President in more than 50 years with the last being John F. Kennedy.

Hasaranga emerged as world’s number one ranked bowler in T-20 cricket in 2021 and into the bargain Sri Lanka’s highest run scorer in ODIs last year. He was also world’s tenth highest run getter in ODIs in 2021.

Lead up to the three match ODI series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka have suffered a massive blow with Hasaranga ruled out of the series having sustained a hamstring injury during the LPL. The leg-spinner has got a grade two tare and the medical staff are working around the clock to ensure that he will be fit for the series in Australia later next month.

With Hasaranga out, Sri Lanka are desperately hoping that Chameera pulls through and will be available for selection. The fast bowler had tested positive for COVID two weeks ago and the medical staff are yet to give him the go ahead to resume training. Although the members of the Sri Lankan team entered the bio-secure bubble yesterday in Kandy, Chameera remained in his hometown in Negombo as the doctors were yet to give him the green light.

Chameera has been outstanding in recent months as he provides the breakthroughs with the new ball and then when the ball loses its shine his extra pace becomes quite handy to unsettle batsmen.

Many fans seem to think that Zimbabwe is not a strong opposition. Sri Lanka paid a heavy price last time around for underestimating Zimbabwe when they toured the island as they suffered a first ever series defeat. The series loss was a bitter pill to swallow and Angelo Mathews stepped down as captain as the tourists recorded a come from behind win.

Kusal Janith Perera will not be part of the series as well as he is under rehabilitation and the plan seems to be getting him fully fit for the series in Australia. Dhananjaya de Silva also pulled out from the series due to personal reasons while Avishka Fernando, the explosive opener has tested positive for COVID forcing the selectors to scratch the barrel.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput has been isolated in Colombo after his Rapid Antigen test done on landing in Colombo turned positive for Covid 19. The tourists arrived in the island yesterday and the coach did not travel to Kandy.

The first ODI of the three-match series will be played on the 16th at Pallekele.