SLC pulls Wanindu Hasaranga out of IPL 2024, informs BCCI about unavailability

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have suffered a major setback as talented Sri Lankan wrist spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) citing an injury.

SLC has reportedly written a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and informed that the Sri Lankan T20I captain is nursing a left ankle injury which will need rest and rehabilitation. As a result, the 26-year-old will not be able to play for his second IPL franchise.

Hasaranga was released by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the IPL 2024 auction last year. He was roped in by Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he will have to watch the IPL from the sidelines now as the former champions are reportedly looking for a replacement.

Hasaranga is believed to have been advised precautionary rest by an expert in Dubai whom he consulted a few days ago.

"I believe so. 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," the player's manager, Shyam, told Cricbuzz.

Shyam told Cricbuzz a few days ago that Hasaranga will be joining the SRH camp at some point. However, that possibility is now done and dusted as the Galle-born will not be seen in action, at least until the T20 World Cup in June.

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Hasaranga's withdrawal has raised some question marks over some foreign players skipping the tournament for unaccountable reasons after putting their names in the auction. Interestingly, Hasaranga came out of Test retirement for the recently concluded two-match series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However, he couldn't play a part in it as he was handed a ban by the ICC on disciplinary grounds. Many felt that the U-turn on Test retirement was a strategical move from the talismanic spinner and the SLC to help the former avoid missing the first four games in the T20 World Cup later this year.

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There is a notion in the IPL that some overseas players tend to pull out of the tournament when they fail to crack lucrative deals in the auction. Hasaranga was with the Royal Challengers for a whopping INR 10.75 crore. However, after he was released, Sunrisers bagged him for his INR 1.50 crore, his base price. However, his managed denied that the auction value had anything to do with his withdrawal.