Sri Lanka’s Achini Kulasuriya cleared of serious damage after being hit on head during fielding

Sri Lanka took on South Africa in their first warmup game of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Adelaide. The match saw a scary incident happen the first ball of the game’s second super-over, which was being played as South Africa had finished the earlier 20-over match and came out victorious by 41 runs.

The Super Over was played purely as a practice measure between the two teams as the match ended early and there was more than an hour to go for the second game of the day’s double-header of warm-up fixtures.

Proteas power-hitter Chloe Tryon tried to heave the ball over long-on, only to send it up high in the sky. Sri Lankan fast bowler Achini Kulasuriya settled underneath for the catch but missed it completely as the ball struck her flush on the skull. She immediately hit the ground clutching her head as teammates rushed towards her.

The ambulance officers checked on the 29-year-old with Tryon standing beside her clearly distressed at the condition of the opposition player. Kulasuriya was lifted onto the stretcher and wheeled off the field towards an ambulance and taken away to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for further tests. A Sri Lankan team spokesperson then gave an update on her condition.

Achini Kulasuriya was discharged late in the afternoon

Cricket.com.au received an update from Sri Lankan team spokesman, who revealed that Kulasuriya was responsive in the hospital and was discharged late in the afternoon. She then returned to the team hotel for recovery. The match was called off in the aftermath of her injury and members of the Sri Lankan team and support-staff reassured Tryon and said she was not to be blamed for the injury.

Marizanne Kapp (44), Mignon du Preez (28) and lower-order partnership of 44 from 17 deliveries between Laura Wolvaart and Tryon took South African women to 146 runs in 20 overs, despite losing the famed opening pair Lizelle Lee and Dane van Niekerk for ducks in first three overs. In reply, Sri Lanka managed just 105/8 with Hasini Perera (22) and Ama Kanchana (24) top scoring as they lost the match by 41 runs.

Sri Lanka will play England in their second and last warmup match on February 18 in Adelaide. The team’s opening match of the T20 World Cup will be against New Zealand at the WACA Ground in Perth next Saturday.

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