Karunaratne replaces injured Sri Lanka captain Shanaka at Cricket World Cup

Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023 super four one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 9, 2023. (AFP/File)

• Dasun Shanaka has been ruled out of the World Cup because of a thigh injury 
• Vice-captain Kusal Mendis to lead the side in World Cup in Shanaka’s absence 

LUCKNOW, India: Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka is out of the Cricket World Cup because of a thigh injury and has been replaced in the squad by Chamika Karunaratne.

Shanaka sustained the injury during Sri Lanka’s six-wicket loss against Pakistan on Tuesday.

The ICC said Saturday that Shanaka’s injury “needs three weeks to recover” and that the technical committee approved Karunaratne, also an all-rounder, as his replacement.

In the absence of Shanaka, vice-captain Kusal Mendis will lead the side. He led Sri Lanka in one of the two warm-up games when Shanaka was rested.

Karunaratne, who has played 23 ODI games, is already with the Sri Lanka squad in India as a traveling reserve and will be available for selection in Sri Lanka’s next game against Australia on Monday.

Sri Lanka also lost its opener against South Africa by 102 runs.