Kusal Perera out of the BAN T20Is due to respiratory infection, Dickwella called-up
Sri Lanka have announced a late change to their squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh on Friday, 1 March. Sri Lanka Cricket Board has informed that wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Perera has been ruled out of the series due to a respiratory infection.
SLC have announced Niroshan Dickwella as Perera’s replacement. The 30-year-old last played white-ball cricket for the national team in June 2022, while his last T20I came in 2021 against England.
“Kusal Janith Perera, who was included in the T20I squad, will not take part in the series as he is suffering from a respiratory infection. Perera did not join the team, which left for Bangladesh yesterday. The Cricket Selection Committee has named Niroshan Dickwella in place of Kusal Janith Perera. Dickwella will join the team tomorrow,” the SLC said in a statement on Twitter.
In the previous T20I series against Afghanistan, Perera just played one match. He scored a duck in a third and final T20I match of the series, which Sri Lanka had already won.
This is not the first change that Sri Lanka have been forced to make in the tour. On Wednesday, SLC had said that opener Pathum Nissanka would also miss the series due to a hamstring issue. Avishka Fernando was named as his replacement.
