Angelo Mathews, the all-rounder, expressed his excitement about participating in his fourth ODI World Cup campaign. However, he mentioned that he didn’t anticipate being included, especially after his omission from the final 15 for the India trip. His entry into the squad came as a replacement for the young Matheesha Pathirana, who suffered a shoulder injury on October 10.
Initially, Angelo Mathews had joined the Sri Lankan squad as a traveling reserve, but he was officially inducted into the squad earlier this week. The 36-year-old, known for scoring 5865 runs and taking 120 wickets, affirmed his commitment to delivering his best performance. Mathews’s return injects experience into the middle-order, addressing a crucial need for Sri Lanka in the competition.
Sri Lanka’s entrance into the tournament followed a victory over the Netherlands, which put an end to their three-match losing streak in the World Cup 2023.
Speaking about Matheesha’s injury, Mathews conveyed his heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery, emphasizing how disheartening it is for a player to exit a World Cup due to injury. He expressed optimism about Matheesha’s future contributions to Sri Lanka and extended his best wishes for a swift recuperation.
Furthermore, Mathews expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, noting that this marked his fourth appearance in a fifty-over World Cup match. He emphasized his and the team’s commitment to delivering their best performance with the primary goal of reaching the semifinals. He stressed his readiness to put in the necessary hard work to achieve this goal.
In his words, “It’s my fourth World Cup in fifteen years. I can perform at my best, and we have our eyes on the semifinals. We aspire to advance further, and that’s our collective goal. It’s going to be an enjoyable journey.”
Mathews played a pivotal role in Kandy’s victory in the Lanka Premier League and had been diligently training at the High-Performance Centre in Colombo, maintaining his fitness and readiness for any opportunity that might arise.
