Sri Lanka have suffered a big setback in the T20 World Cup 2026. Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a left-leg muscle strain.
Pathirana picked up the injury during Sri Lanka’s match against Australia in Pallekele on February 16. He bowled just four balls of his first over before walking off the field and did not return.
Despite his absence, Sri Lanka went on to win that match by eight wickets. But the injury has now ended Pathirana’s campaign at a crucial stage of the tournament.
The ICC confirmed the change in the squad. “The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Dilshan Madushanka as a replacement for Matheesha Pathirana in the Sri Lanka squad.”
Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka comes in as the replacement. He is returning after dealing with his own injury concerns earlier this year.
This is the second major injury blow for Sri Lanka in this tournament. Star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was earlier ruled out with a hamstring injury during the opening game against Ireland.
Pathirana was Sri Lanka’s main death bowler. His pace and yorkers made him a key weapon in the final overs. Losing him will put extra pressure on the rest of the bowling unit.
Madushanka now has a big role to play. He has taken 15 wickets in T20Is so far, with an economy rate of 9.75. He also finished as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup, picking up 21 wickets.
Sri Lanka have already qualified for the Super Eights. They will next face Zimbabwe in their final Group B match in Colombo.
After that, they begin their Super Eights campaign against England in Pallekele on February 22. Madushanka’s left-arm angle and World Cup experience could be very important in that clash.
With both Pathirana and Hasaranga out, Sri Lanka will need their bowlers to step up. The team has done well so far, but the real test now begins in the knockout stage.