COLOMBO: Sri Lanka all-rounder Asela Gunaratne has been ruled out of the T20 tri-series also involving Bangladesh and India after sustaining an injury to his right arm while diving during a fielding drill and getting his arm caught in an awkward position during the Bangladesh tour.

The injury has been diagnosed as a grade II rotator cuff strain with contusion.

Gunaratne is currently undergoing rehabilitation at Sri Lanka Cricket’s High Performance Center. The allrounder was out of sorts during the tour to Bangladesh having just returned from an injury sustained last year.

Gunaratne established himself as a T20I match-winner in successive series against South Africa and Australia 2017 but his career has been rocked by injuries.

Already missing Angelo Mathews Sri Lanka have further cause for concern as it emerged that fast bowler Shehan Madushanka has a hamstring niggle and is in doubt for the tri-series that gets underway with a match against India on March 6.

The series also features Bangladesh who played host to Sri Lanka in January and February of this year.

Sri Lanka were victorious across all three formats against Bangladesh having made a rocky start to the tour when they lost the opening two matches of their ODI triangular series against the hosts and Zimbabwe.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2018