Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Pradeep has been ruled out of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup due to chicken pox. In turn, the 26-year-old pacer Kasun Rajitha has been called to fill the boots by the selectors after their request was approved by the Event Technical Committee.
Bowling at an economy of 5.41, the 32-year-old has been a part of three World Cup fixtures for his team where he picked five wickets, including a four-wicket haul against Afghanistan. In a winning cause against England on June 21, he picked the match-winning wicket of Mark Wood.
Pradeep has been in and out of the team so far, mainly because of the finger dislocation he suffered in the nets ahead of the Bangladesh game. He also missed Sri Lanka’s recent nine-wicket defeat to South Africa on Friday and has departed from the squad, with Rajitha filling up the void.
Having been a part of Sri Lanka’s squad as a stand-by player, the 26-year-old has played an international game for his country against South Africa on March 13. In all, he has only played six ODIs, picking five wickets from them.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka face West Indies next on July 1 before locking horns with India on July 6. If they are to get through the league phase, they not only need to win their remaining fixtures but also need the other permutations to go their way.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Cricket World Cup
