MANCHESTER, Sept 1: Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan could still play in the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship despite earlier being ruled out of the tournament through injury.

Muralitharan injured his right elbow while bowling for Lancashire against Kent on Wednesday in the English county championship but no decision will be taken on his participation in the South Africa event until he returns to Sri Lanka with scans of his injury.

“It’s better news than it could have been but it’s up to Sri Lanka to assess it,” said Lancashire physio Sam Byrne.

“We got the results back and it is just showing some inflammation around the bicep.

“We’re sending the scans back with Murali to Sri Lanka and they’ll manage it and constantly reassess it over the next week.”

On Saturday, Sri Lankan selectors picked uncapped off-spinner Dilruwan Perera to replace the injured Muralitharan in the World Twenty20 Championship.—AFP