Angelo Perera replaces injured Pradeep for Sri Lanka

  A hamstring injury aggravated by Nuwan Pradeep has resulted in Sri Lanka calling up Angelo Perera to the one-day international squad for the second match against Australia.

Sri Lanka trail 1-0 in the five-match series after suffering a three-wicket defeat in the first match in Colombo on Sunday, but Pradeep, who missed the last two Test matches due to the injury, did not feature.

With no improvement the seamer has been replaced by Perera, and coach Graham Ford said the all-rounder could be involved.

“Nuwan Pradeep is injured which is a big blow to us. [He is] an important part of the side and has done really well over the past, but at the moment he’s struggling with a hamstring injury, has done for a little while, so at the moment he’s out for the time being,” said Ford.

“The selectors have called him [Angelo] into the squad, I think they felt he played really well [for Sri Lanka A] in England. He’s a very capable player. He has a chance of playing, he looks in good nick.”

Captain Angelo Mathews suggested there could be changes to the Sri Lanka XI, but Dinesh Chandimal – who hit his fifth successive ODI fifty in the first match – and Kusal Mendis have been cleared after injury concerns.

“We still haven’t decided on the final 11. [It’s] possible, if needed, there might be a couple of changes. We will have a chat with the selectors because we are not quite sure about the wicket,” said Mathews.

“Injury concerns have now been cleared by the physio. Chandimal is clear to play and also Kusal Mendis, so they are fine.”

-Agencies