Injured Matheesha Pathirana is replaced in the Sri Lankan team by Angelo Mathews for the ODI World Cup 2023.

Matheesha Pathirana, a young and gifted Sri Lankan bowler who assisted Chennai Super Kings in winning a record-tying fifth Indian Premier League championship, sustained an injury while playing Pakistan in an ODI World Cup 2023 match. He was disqualified from the main event because he missed Sri Lanka’s previous two matches against Australia and the Netherlands.

Matheesha Pathirana could have been replaced by veteran pacer Dushmantha Chameera if the ‘Lankan Lions’ choose to do so.

However, they decided to replace the 20-year-old by adding great all-rounder Angelo Mathews to the side. As roving reserves, Mathews and Chameera were with the Sri Lankan unit. The former captain of Sri Lanka received the nod, and he might earn a spot in the starting XI right away when Kusal Mendis’ team takes the field in Bengaluru on October 26 to play England.

Roshan Abeysinghe, a Sri Lankan commentator, wrote on “X” regarding Mathews’ selection to the team in place of Pathirana.

“Angelo Mathews will replace injured Matheesha Pathirana in the Sri Lanka squad for the ICC World Cup – 2023 being played in India,” stated the 60-year-old.

Angelo Mathews will replace injured Matheesha Pathirana in the Sri Lanka squad for the ICC World Cup – 2023 being played in India- https://t.co/UE0xsYbtM5

— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) October 24, 2023

To the SL side, Angelo Mathews adds a plethora of expertise.

The 36-year-old participated in the ODI World Cups in 2011, 2015, and 2019. He was not included in the Sri Lankan roster for the 2023 edition of the competition, though. Mathews has only been in seven one-day internationals in the past four years, but he has participated in 221 50-over games for the national team overall.

Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka’s normal captain, was recently forced to withdraw from the competition due to an injury. The position of leadership has been entrusted to Kusal Mendis. Now, the wicketkeeper-batter will have access to Mathews, a knowledgeable player with previous captaincy experience, if necessary.