Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana is set to make a return to the side for their crucial ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 fixture against Pakistan today.
Despite suffering from a hamstring injury during the Asia Cup 2023, Theekshana was included in Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad. After missing the opening game against South Africa, he is now poised for a comeback.
Assistant coach Naveed Nawaz confirmed Theekshana’s full recovery and expressed confidence in his availability for the upcoming match.
Nawaz stated, “He’s fit and should play tomorrow. We didn’t want to risk him in the first game against medical advice, but he should be ready here.”
Anticipating a tough encounter against Pakistan, Nawaz emphasized the need for Sri Lanka to handle pressure situations effectively.
“We expect to face similar pitches. They are not going to change; it’s going to be batting-friendly mostly. We have to look at our execution and see how we could’ve pulled back another 50-60 runs,” he explained.
Furthermore, Nawaz stressed the importance of maintaining a positive outlook within the team, considering the demanding nature of the tournament.
“It’s a long tournament, we’re going to be playing, travelling and doing other things for over a month. We just have to take the learnings from each game and move forward.”
Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have commenced their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaigns with different outcomes.
Pakistan secured a convincing 81-run victory against the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, while Sri Lanka faced a thumping defeat against South Africa, losing by 102 runs the following day.
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