‘He has to be 100% fit. Angelo has to make that call with the physio, because if he’s not 100% fit, we will not let him go’ © Associated Press
Angelo Mathews will almost certainly miss the T20s against Bangladesh next week, and is also unlikely to be fit for the start of the IPL, SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha has confirmed.
Mathews has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring injury during the T20 series in South Africa, and though he was expected to have recovered by now, his return has been further delayed by a mild calf strain. He had also missed the Zimbabwe tour late last year through injury.
“At this stage I think I can say Angelo will not play the T20s,” Gurusinha said. “The only chance is the second one, but, to be honest, I doubt it. The IPL will be affected because he has to wait for the physio and the trainer to give him the green light. He has to be 100% fit. Angelo has to make that call with the physio, because if he’s not 100% fit, we will not let him go.”
Mathews has signed with Delhi Daredevils, who play their first game on April 8. SLC is reluctant to release Mathews unless he has fully recovered because they would like him to be available for the Champions Trophy in the UK in June.
“Angie is unbelievably understanding,” Gurusinha said. “He wants to give everything for Sri Lankan cricket. He says: ‘Aiya [brother], I want to be fit for the Champions Trophy’, and he wants to be fit. He’s disappointed.”
If he does not recover in time for those early Daredevils matches, Mathews will join a growing list of high-profile players whose IPL participation has been affected by their international workload. Over the past few weeks, R Ashwin, M Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Mitchell Marsh and Martin Guptill have all become unavailable for all or part of the IPL.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo