Thushara out of India T20Is with broken finger
He suffered the injury on his left hand during fielding practice on Wednesday
Andrew Fidel Fernando
25-Jul-2024
Nuwan Thushara bowls with his slingy action • LPL
Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has broken a finger in his left hand at training and has been ruled out of at least the T20I series against India. Dilshan Madushanka comes into the squad as his replacement.*
Team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Thushara's injury was sustained on the non-bowling hand. Nevertheless, it is severe enough for him to be ruled out. Halangoda said the injury had occurred late on Wednesday, when Sri Lanka were training under lights. Thushara had been at fielding practice.
He is the second Sri Lanka fast bowler to be ruled out of the series. Just on Wednesday, Sri Lanka announced that Dushmantha Chameera was out with illness, and replaced him with Asitha Fernando.
Thushara had consistently been part of Sri Lanka's T20I XI this year. He had been among their best bowlers at the T20 World Cup, taking eight wickets in the three matches Sri Lanka played. Earlier this year, he had also taken a T20I hat-trick on his way to figures of 5 for 20 against Bangladesh.
The first T20I between Sri Lanka and India is scheduled for Saturday.
*The article was updated when Thushara's replacement was named.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf