Sri Lanka suffer injury setback ahead of Women's T20 World Cup 2026

KARACHI: Sri Lanka's ambidextrous wrist spinner Shashini Gimhani has been ruled out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 due to an injury, international media reported on Friday.

According to a report by an international cricket news website, the 17-year-old picked up a lower-back injury during training and thus could not travel with the team to England.

Gimhani, who was yet to make her T20I debut for Sri Lanka, has been replaced by right-arm seamer Chethana Vimukthi in their squad for the mega event, scheduled to be played in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5.

Notably, Gimhani was uncapped in T20Is but has represented Sri Lanka in three ODIs, with all of her appearances in the longer format coming against New Zealand in March this year.

She has also played a T20 for Sri Lanka A, as she was part of the Women's Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's 15-member squad for the mega event has already left for England on June 2, under the leadership of experienced batting all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu, who is set to feature in her 10th Women's T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka, slotted in Group 2, will kick off their campaign against hosts England in Birmingham on June 12 before taking on defending champions New Zealand in Southampton on June 16.

They will then head to Bristol, where they will be locking horns with West Indies and Ireland on June 21 and 23, respectively, while their final group-stage fixture is scheduled against Scotland in Manchester on June 26.

Sri Lanka's updated T20 World Cup squad

Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunarathne, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Sugandika Dassanayaka, Nimasha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Malki Madara, Mithali Ayodhya and Chethana Vimukthi.