'Under-observation' Chamara Kapugedera misses fourth ODI

Sri Lanka’s middle-order batsman Chamara Kapugedera is under observation after being accidentally struck by a ball during the 3rd ODI against Pakistan in UAE on Wednesday. It was during the tenth over of the Pakistani innings that the incident took place. Wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella threw the ball towards Kapugedera, but he had no idea that the ball was coming towards him.

He got struck under his right eye before being taken to the hospital. The injury was such that even though he was able to prevent the ball from hitting it in the eye, that there was instant swelling on his face. As a result, he didn’t return to the field for the remainder of the game.

“Chamara is under observation. There is no fracture thankfully, but there is a massive swelling on his face,” Sri Lanka’s Manager Asanka Gurusinha told Cricbuzz on Thursday.

Kapugedera misses the fourth ODI in Sharjah but he is expected to feature in the last game on Monday, if he is deemed fit. The right-handed top order batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama made his ODI debut in the fourth ODI after having been flown in on Wednesday as an additional player after the team management thought that the team was missing out on batting in the line-up.

The 22-year-old Samarawickrama is a recognized name in Sri Lanka, especially after being named the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 2014. He was also the highest run-getter in domestic cricket last season. Sri Lanka are trailing the five-match series 3-0 and have lost their last ten ODIs on a trot. As their coach Nic Pothas rightly pointed out, the Sri Lankan batsmen have looked out of sorts. Apart from a valiant century coming from Upal Tharanga in the 2nd ODI, the batsmen have failed to show the drive to change their fortunes, off late.