Sri Lanka, led by Dasun Shanaka, suffered a huge blow ahead of the third and final T20I of the series against England, led by Harry Brook. Star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the upcoming match against Sri Lanka, raising concerns over his availability for the much-anticipated 2026 T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka will play the third T20I against England on Tuesday, February 3, at the Palakle International Cricket Stadium. The home team will be trying to avoid a whitewash after losing their first two games to a dominant England side as another defeat could affect their confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Wanindu Hasaranga ruled out of third T20I against England

Wanindu Hasaranga is unlikely to feature in the third T20I against England. Journalist Dhanushka Aravinda said Hasaranga will undergo a minor surgery, making his participation in the final match in doubt.

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“Sri Lanka all-rounder Vanindhu Hasaranga is more likely to miss tomorrow’s third T20I against England due to minor surgery.” Aravinda wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Break 🚨

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is more likely to miss tomorrow’s third T20I against England due to minor surgery.#sportspavilionlk #danushkaaravinda #ENGvsSL #SLvsENG pic.twitter.com/FB8s63qZRO

— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda) February 2, 2026

Hasaranga struggled with the ball in the first two games. The leg-spinner did not take any wickets in the series, taking figures of 0/36 and 0/44 against England.

Wanindu Hasaranga’s impact in T20I cricket

Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the best spinners in Sri Lanka T20I cricket. Since his debut in 2019, he has continued to disrupt partnerships and trouble batsmen across the world, especially in the middle overs.

Hasaranga took 151 wickets in 94 T20I games at an average of 16.21 and an economy rate of 7.03. His best bowling performance came against India where he took figures of 4/9.

He also adds value with the bat. Hasaranga often plays under pressure and plays with purpose. He scored 806 points with a shooting percentage of 126.53, with a maximum score of 71 points.

Sri Lanka relied on him with the ball in the midfield. Without Hasaranga, the bowling attack will look weaker, lacking the cutting-edge edge needed to counter the England batting line-up.

Sri Lanka to start 2026 T20 World Cup against Ireland

Sri Lanka will kick off their campaign for the 2026 T20 World Cup against Ireland in Colombo. Thereafter, they will face Oman and Australia in Palleke on February 12 and February 16 respectively. Their final group match will be against Zimbabwe in Colombo on February 19.

Sri Lanka performed poorly in the 2024 T20 World Cup. They were eliminated in the group stage and managed just one win, beating the Netherlands by 83 points. They lost to South Africa by six wickets and Bangladesh by two wickets, while the match against Nepal was called off due to rain.

The team also performed poorly in the 2023 ODI World Cup, finishing second from the bottom with just two wins from nine games. Sri Lanka will now hope to turn things around and perform better in the 2026 T20 World Cup.