Veteran Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga has been given the responsibility to lead the team for the rest of the games in the series. The Sri Lankan cricket team is already struggling in the ongoing bilateral series to score a win against India. Also, the players’ injuries have hampered the team’s strength a lot right from the start of the series. The home side lost the Test series by 3-0 under the captaincy of Dinesh Chandimanl. Later, Upul Tharanga got the hold of the team for the ODI series as Chandimal suffered an injury. But after two matches, he got banned by ICC for slow overs. Next was Chamara Kapugedera, who took the charge but his back injury led him out of the team for rest of the series.
As per several media reports, Sri Lanka team Manager said,”He did have the issue in Kandy, but I think when he went into bat, it got worse,” manager Asanka Gurusinha said.
After 5 players got ruled out from the team, Lasith Malinga has to captain the team for the fourth ODI which will be played in Colombo. Apart from Chandimal and Kapugedera, Danushka Gunathilaka was ruled out with a shoulder strain in the first Test match itself. Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera and batting all-rounder Asela Gunaratne had earlier also been ruled out of the series with injuries.
Team India is currently leading the series by 3-0. In the second ODI, the game almost looked to swerve away from the hands of men in blue after Akila Dhananjaya’s six wicket haul. However, MS Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar played till the end and took the game home.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka needs to win the rest of the two games so as to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the World Cup 2019.
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