Sri Lanka's spinner, Maheesh Theekshana, will be eligible for selection in Sri Lanka's second World Cup match against Pakistan on Tuesday, as confirmed by assistant coach Naveed Nawaz.
Nawaz stated during the pre-match press conference, "He is in good shape and is expected to play tomorrow. We didn't want to take any risks with him in the first game, following medical advice, but he should be ready for this one."
Theekshana was sidelined during Sri Lanka's initial match against South Africa, where they faced a formidable challenge. Aiden Markram's outstanding performance resulted in the fastest century in Men's Cricket World Cup history, leading South Africa to a record-breaking total of 428/5. This score surpassed the previous highest total in a Men's Cricket World Cup, which was 417/6, achieved by Australia against Afghanistan in 2015.
Despite Sri Lanka's spirited efforts with aggressive batting, they fell short of the massive target, ultimately losing the match by 102 runs.
The team is now eagerly awaiting Theekshana's return to bolster their bowling lineup for the upcoming showdown against Pakistan in Hyderabad.