Hasaranga's Hamstring Injury Forces Him Out of T20 World Cup

Sri Lanka's star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 due to a hamstring injury, a major blow to the co-hosts' campaign. Hasaranga, who took 3 wickets for 25 runs in Sri Lanka's opening match win against Ireland, suffered a serious tear in his left hamstring. Dushan Hemantha has been named as his replacement in the squad. After he completed his spell, taking 3 for 25 in four overs to derail Ireland's spirited chase of 164, Hasaranga had an MRI scan on Monday that revealed a serious tear in his left hamstring. The report was seen by a specialist in the UK before he was ruled out on Tuesday. Dushan Hemantha is stepping in for Wanindu Hasaranga, bringing a similar leg-spin all-rounder skillset. Hemantha's got limited top-level experience, with 3 T20Is and 4 wickets at an economy rate of 7.85. Sri Lanka might drop him straight into the XI, given their lack of spinner options. Sri Lanka's second group game is against Oman on February 12 in Pallekele, followed by Australia on February 16 in Pallekele, and finally Zimbabwe in Colombo (RPS) on February 19. Hasaranga's absence is a significant loss for Sri Lanka, given his impressive record in T20 cricket. He was the team's most accomplished bowler in this format, with 40 wickets in T20 World Cups and an economy rate of 6.01. Sri Lanka will face Oman on February 12, Australia on February 16, and Zimbabwe on February 19, and will need to adapt quickly to keep their World Cup hopes alive.