Washington Sundar to link up with India squad for Asia Cup final

Washington Sundar is set to join the India squad in Colombo for Sunday’s Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka.

Cricbuzz understands that Sundar, 23, has been called in as cover for Axar Patel, who is understood to have emerged out of the Super Four match against Bangladesh with niggles. The extent of Axar’s injuries is currently unknown, but there is some uncertainty regarding his availability for the match after he sustained a few blows during his innings on Friday night at Premadasa Stadium.

Sundar is part of India’s Asian Games squad and is currently in Bengaluru. He is expected to re-join the Asian Games camp after the completion of the final. The camp runs till September 23 before the games kick off in Hangzhou, China.

Axar managed to score 42 runs off 34 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes. He was also involved in two substantial partnerships, first with Shubman Gill (39 runs for the seventh wicket) and later with Shardul Thakur (40 runs for the eighth wicket), which kept India’s hopes of winning the game alive. However, those hopes dwindled once he was dismissed in the penultimate over.

Sundar, who bowl offbreaks and bats left-handed, last played an ODI at home against New Zealand in January this year, but missed out on the provisional 15-man World Cup squad.

Sundar, if picked for the final, could come in handy with his offspin against Sri Lanka’s left-handers on what’s been a helpful track in Colombo so far.

Theekshana unavailable for final

Maheesh Theekshana, the Sri Lankan spinner who strained his right hamstring during the team’s last game against Pakistan, will not be available for the final. A scan confirmed a muscle injury, which forced him out of the field during Pakistan’s innings and couldn’t make himself available with the bat during the run chase.

Sri Lanka Cricket selectors have named Sahan Arachchige as Theekshana’s replacement. Theekshana will return to the High Performance Center to commence rehabilitation work.