Wanindu Hasaranga Withdraws from IPL 2024 Due to Injury
By CricGPT
In a significant development, Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season due to an injury.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that Hasaranga will not be able to participate in the tournament for his franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad.
According to sources close to the situation, SLC has written to the BCCI stating that the 26-year-old requires rehabilitation and rest to recover from a left ankle injury. He is believed to have been advised precautionary rest by a medical expert in Dubai, whom he consulted recently.
"I believe so," confirmed Shyam, Hasaranga's manager, to Cricbuzz. "Sri Lanka Cricket has written to the BCCI informing them about his unavailability. He went to Dubai for medical advice and stayed there for three days. Given the current situation, the expert's advice is that he should rest rather than participate in the IPL this season."
This news comes as a surprise, as Hasaranga's manager had previously indicated that the player would be available for SRH. However, it raises questions about the practice of foreign players registering for the IPL auction and later withdrawing for undisclosed reasons.
In this case, it is noteworthy that SLC, which has authorized Hasaranga's withdrawal, had also selected him for a Test series in Bangladesh that commenced on the same day as the IPL (March 22). Curiously, if Hasaranga had not been recalled from retirement and picked for the Test side, he would have been ineligible to lead Sri Lanka in the first four matches of the T20 World Cup in June due to disciplinary action by the ICC.
There is a perception within the IPL that some foreign players skip the league if they do not receive a satisfactory price in the auction. Hasaranga's previous IPL salary was INR 10.75 crores, but after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore, his auction price dropped to the base price of INR 1.5 crores, at which SRH acquired him for this season. However, his manager has denied that the withdrawal is related to the auction value.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise is now expected to seek a replacement for Hasaranga, who was a key member of their squad last season.