PAK vs SL | Lahiru Thirimanne suffers injury as Sri Lanka prepare for Pakistan tour

09/19/2019

Despite all sorts of problems hindering the series, the Sri Lanka Cricket board are looking forward to sending the team to Pakistan for a limited-overs tour comprising six matches. Meanwhile, an injury scare is looming on the team and skipper Lahiru Thirimanne is being monitored by the physio.

After 10 Sri Lankan players pulled out from the upcoming tour of Pakistan, citing reasons of security, the board named two separate squads for the tour. A 15-member squad under the captaincy of Thirimanne for the ODIs and a 16-member squad led by all-rounder Dasun Shanaka for the T20Is. With a difference of just one player between the two squads, both will leave together for the series.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have suffered an injury scare since Lahiru Thirimanne complained of a pain in his back while training ahead of the tour to Pakistan and his condition is currently being monitored by the physio. However, the team manager Ashantha de Mel is positive that the new ODI captain will be fine before the series kicks off.

“There was a slight concern about Thirimanne, he had some pain on one of his discs, that’s what the physio said,” said de Mel. “But so far they have said that it is nothing serious and hopefully he will be alright.

“At the moment he is not under any pain or anything but by Friday we will know exactly his situation. More or less I think he should be okay,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rest of the ODI and T20I squads have been under training in the gym and De Mel said that they will have their first practice sessions under lights on September 19 and 20 at the R Premadasa Stadium.

“The team is doing their normal work out and getting prepared, once they get the clearance they will go,” said the team manager.

Earlier, the ICC said it will analyse the security arrangements in Pakistan before appointing their match officials and Del Mel feels that if ICC's survey turns out to be positive then they'll have a greater sense of security ahead of the tour.

“That is a good guideline. If the ICC feels that it is safe then there is some justification,” he said.

The squads are supposed to leave for Pakistan on September 24.