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Sri Lanka have drafted in allrounder Dushan Hemantha as a replacement for the injured Wanindu Hasaranga in their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, following approval from the tournament’s Event Technical Committee (ETC).
Hemantha, who has represented Sri Lanka in five ODIs and three T20 Internationals, comes into the side after Hasaranga was sidelined with a left hamstring injury sustained during the group match against Ireland on February 8.
Despite completing his full quota of overs in that game — returning impressive figures of 3 for 25 to help restrict Ireland’s chase of 164 — Hasaranga underwent an MRI scan the following Monday. The scan revealed a significant tear in his left hamstring. The results were reviewed by a specialist in the United Kingdom, after which he was officially ruled out of the tournament on Tuesday.
While the injury is believed to be linked to a previous hamstring issue, it is not considered a direct recurrence. Hasaranga has struggled with multiple fitness setbacks in recent years, including a foot problem.
Under tournament regulations, any squad replacement must receive formal clearance from the Event Technical Committee before being confirmed. The ETC for the 2026 edition comprises ICC General Manager – Cricket Wasim Khan, IBC representative Gaurav Saxena, Host representative Hemang Amin, and independent member Shaun Pollock.
Meanwhile, the ETC has also sanctioned a replacement for New Zealand allrounder Michael Bracewell, who suffered a calf injury during warm-up drills ahead of his side’s match against Afghanistan in Chennai on February 8. New Zealand are yet to announce who will take his place in the squad.
