Maheesh Theekshana won’t be available for Sri Lanka’s
World Cup opener against South Africa, head coach Chris Silverwood announced on
the eve of the match. The spinner is still recovering from the hamstring injury
he sustained in the Asia Cup. Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Perera, though, will both
be available for Sri Lanka.
“Theekshana is still recovering from a hamstring
injury, so he won’t be available for this game,” Silverwood said.
“But we expect him to be available very soon. The rest of them are
fine.”
Theekshana’s absence, combined with Wanindu
Hasaranga’s complete withdrawal from the competition due to a hamstring injury,
means that all-rounders Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage, as well as
legspinner Dushan Hemantha, should he be included in the playing XI, will be
responsible for bowling spin.
Left-arm spinner Wellalage, 20, has drawn the most
attention of the three, especially after his heroics against India in the Asia
Cup, where he nearly won the match. However, Silverwood was anxious to keep
expectations in check.
“Dunith has shown us what a good young cricketer
he is,” he said. “He’s got an old head on young shoulders and I think
he’s played his cricket with maturity so far. I think he’s shown his worth with
bat and ball and he’s a good young fielder as well.
“We’re not going to put any more pressure on him
than that, so for me he goes out and he plays his way. He knows his role in the
team and he’s very happy with that. So, for me it’s about not putting pressure
on these guys, it’s about taking pressure off them and I want him to go out and
enjoy himself and show the rest of the world how good he is and if we can do
that and give him that freedom, I think we’ll see the best of him.”