Angelo Mathews could miss entire LPL due to thigh strain

The quadriceps strain Angelo Mathews sustained during the ongoing Test match against West Indies has put his participation in the Lanka Premier League in doubt.

Mathews himself hoped that he would miss only the first few days of the tournament, or between three and four matches. But Sri Lanka Cricket doctors have suggested that the strain could be more serious, and that Mathews could end up potentially missing the whole tournament. The LPL is set to start on Sunday, and runs until December 23.

"One MRI scan has been conducted, but the results are not clear," SLC's chief medical officer Dr. Daminda Attanayake told ESPNcricinfo. "We'll need to conduct another MRI around December 4, and we'll have a clearer picture."

The results of that second test will also be shared with consulting physicians based overseas, Attanayake said.

Mathews had sustained the injury while running a single on the first day of the ongoing Test in Galle. He had retired hurt immediately after, but returned to the crease after the fall of the eighth wicket, and dealt largely in boundaries, refusing to take runs. He did not take the field for Sri Lanka in the first innings, but did come out to bat at No. 9 in the second innings.

Mathews has a long history of leg injuries, with problems to his hamstrings, quads, and calves causing him to miss months of cricket at a time, since 2015.

He is slated to be part of the Colombo Stars franchise at the LPL - possibly as captain, though that has not been officially confirmed yet either.