Naveed Zadran’s bouncer struck Chamika Gunasekara’s helmet during the opening session of Day 3, forcing the debutant from Sri Lanka to sub out. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old’s attempt to dodge the bowl didn’t result in as much bounce as he had anticipated. It struck the upper portion of the helmet and soared above the goalkeeper’s head, resulting in a four-leg pass.
He finally passed and was cleared to bat again, but not before the on-field officials called the doctor for a concussion check. But because he was having trouble in the midst of the 110th over—three overs after the incident.
Chamika Gunasekara called the medics back. The medical professionals hurried to examine him while he gripped his head in agony.
Following a quick examination, he was told to leave the field; however, the pacer Kasun Rajitha was authorized to replace him in case of a concussion, and the pacer did not bat in the opening inning. ESPNcricinfo reports that Chamika Gunasekara was hurried to the hospital right away for additional evaluation. His health status is currently unknown because Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has not released any official information on it.
On his ODI debut, Chamika Gunasekara was also forced to leave the field early. He was only able to bowl one over in the 2022 Pallekele match due to a hamstring injury.
Lanka takes a 237-run advantage.
In the second inning, Sri Lanka scored 439 runs, batting Afghanistan out for 198 runs. In Colombo, seasoned batsmen Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews both scored centuries while looking extremely strong. With a contribution of 77 runs, opener Dimuth Karunaratne set the stage for success, while opening partner Nishan Madushka scored 37 runs.
Afghanistan’s bowlers, meanwhile, would not be content with their employment. They were missing Rashid Khan in the middle, but Zadran attempted to make up for it with his four-wicket haul, with Qais Ahmad and Nijat Massod taking two wickets apiece. Now, in order to exert more pressure on Sri Lanka, which would be pleased with their development, they will need to bat well.