Dilshan Madushanka sustains hamstring injury, to miss initial games of IPL 2024 for Mumbai Indians

Dilshan Madushanka, the Sri Lankan pace bowling sensation, has been hit by a major blow as he will miss the remainder of the Bangladesh tour and the initial stages of the upcoming IPL 2024 due to a hamstring injury.

This setback comes at a time when the 23-year-old was riding high on the success of his brilliant performance in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, where he emerged as the third-highest wicket-taker with 21 wickets in nine matches.

Madushanka's impressive displays during the World Cup caught the attention of the franchises in the IPL 2024 auction, where he was picked up by the Mumbai Indians for a whopping INR 4.6 crore (US$554,000 approx.).

His addition to the star-studded Mumbai Indians pace attack, featuring the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Jason Behrendorff, and Gerald Coetzee, was seen as a significant boost to the team's bowling firepower.

Also read: Hamstring injury forces Dilshan Madushanka's ouster from remaining fixtures

He has suffered a left hamstring injury - Sri Lanka Cricket

However, the fast bowler's dream run has been halted by a left hamstring injury sustained during Sri Lanka's second ODI against Bangladesh on Friday. Madushanka left the field midway through the match, and subsequent reports confirmed that he had suffered a tear.

In a statement released by Sri Lanka Cricket on Sunday, it was revealed that Madushanka would be returning home to begin his rehabilitation process. The extent of the injury and the recovery timeline are yet to be revealed, but it is unlikely that he will feature in the initial matches of the IPL 2024 season.

"We got the report on his injury only today [Sunday], and it shows a small tear, He has suffered a left hamstring injury, and he will return [home] to start rehabilitation work. It's a new injury. We're not yet sure how long it will take for him to recover, but he'll have to be assessed again when he goes home by the medical team at the high-performance center. For now, we know he's out of the ODI tomorrow for sure," Sri Lanka Cricket read.

Madushanka's absence adds to Mumbai Indians' concerns, with fellow recruit Gerald Coetzee also facing doubts due to a groin injury. While Coetzee has joined the squad, his fitness remains under scrutiny by the Mumbai Indians medical team, further complicating the team's preparations for the IPL.

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