New Delhi (PTI): Dealing a big jolt to Sri Lanka's floundering campaign in the World Cup, their captain Dasun Shanaka on Saturday was ruled out of the mega event with a right thigh muscle injury.
Shanaka suffered the injury during their match against Pakistan on October 10, and he would take at least three weeks to recover, forcing the Lankans to seek a replacement, the ICC stated in a release.
The ICC Event Technical Committee has approved Chamika Karunaratne as Shanaka's replacement.
Sri Lanka have lost their opening two matches in the tournament to South Africa and Pakistan.
The 32-year-old Shanaka had made a 62-ball 68 against South Africa in New Delhi when they chased an imposing 429.
Karunaratne is a middle-order batter and right-arm medium pacer who has played 23 ODIs for the Islanders.
The 27-year-old has taken 24 wickets from 23 matches and has scored 443 runs with a fifty.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s Director General of Police (DGP) Sheikh Darvesh Saheb has submitted a report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recommending legal action against Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajithkumar for allegedly making a false statement implicating a fellow officer.
The DGP’s report states that both civil and criminal cases could be initiated against Ajithkumar for falsely accusing ADGP P. Vijayan of having ties to a gold smuggling gang. Following the allegation, Vijayan filed a formal complaint with the state police chief, prompting a direct investigation by the DGP.
After conducting the probe, DGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb exonerated Vijayan and recommended that Ajithkumar be held accountable for his misleading claims.
The development has political overtones as well. P.V. Anvar, a two-time legislator who was elected as a CPI(M)-backed independent, resigned from his post after his own complaint against Ajithkumar was dismissed by the CPI(M) leadership and the Chief Minister. Anvar has since joined the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and declared support for the Congress candidate in the upcoming Nilambur assembly by-election.
Anvar accused the ruling dispensation of shielding Ajithkumar, alleging, “If anyone believes action will be taken based on this report, they are living in a fool’s paradise.” He also claimed that CM Vijayan considers Ajithkumar his “third son.”
The controversy unfolds as DGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb prepares to retire on May 30. With six officers under consideration to succeed him, Ajithkumar ranks sixth on the list—a position now clouded by the fallout from the DGP’s report.
The final decision on whether action will be taken against Ajithkumar now lies with Chief Minister Vijayan.