Angelo Mathews ruled out of Nidahas Trophy with calf injury

02/27/2018

Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the upcoming Nidahas Trophy with a calf injury that he picked during a training session while undergoing rehab. In his absence, Dinesh Chandimal is expected to lead the side in Nidahas Trophy, which marks Sri Lanka's 70 years of independence.

Mathews has failed to find full fitness from the hamstring injury that he sustained in Bangladesh, as he managed to play just once since being reappointed as Sri Lanka’s skipper in limited-overs cricket in January. Currently undergoing rehabilitation in Colombo, the all-rounder has faced a new setback with a calf injury, which has now forced him to stay out of the series.

"Angelo has been putting in a lot of effort to make himself available for the Nidahas Trophy. He has worked tremendously hard to be fit after being given a strenuous programme to follow. Unfortunately, during one of the training sessions he ended up hurting his calf," a source from Sri Lanka Cricket told Cricbuzz.

Despite Mathews’ injury being not serious, he didn’t get a green signal from SLC medical staff. Apart from the 30-year-old, Nuwan Pradeep, Kusal Janith Perera, and Dusmantha Chameera were the other players who face fitness issues. SLC has now asked their players to play the current domestic T20 competition to prove their fitness. While Mathews failed to represent his team Colts CC, Perera and Pradeep passed the test as Chameera awaits a fitness test on February 27.

Since January last year, Mathews has had a series of injuries to his lower body. During the tour of South Africa, he had to return home early after hurting his calf. Though he made a comeback during the Champions Trophy, he had missed the series preceding that against Australia and Bangladesh. Mathews also failed to provide his services during the UAE tour where the team played against Pakistan in September as he was suffering from a hamstring injury.

The Nidahas Trophy will start on March 6 and the first game of the tournament will be played between Sri Lanka and India at R Premadasa Stadium.