Why is Wanindu Hasaranga not playing today's PBKS vs SRH IPL 2024 match?

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will continue to miss the services of Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for today's encounter against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur.

Hasaranga hasn't played a single game for the franchise this season due to a chronic heel pain on his left foot. And to make matters worse, Hasaranga was ruled out of IPL 2024 a couple of days back.

SRH acquired Hasaranga's services for a bargain price of ₹1.5 crore and his absence could prove costly later in the season when the pitches tend to slow down. The franchise just announced another Sri Lankan leggie Vijaykanth Viyaskanth as his replacement for the remainder of the tournament, joining them at his base price of ₹50 Lakh.

Viyaskanth has played the lone T20I for Sri Lanka against Afghanistan in the 2023 Asian Games so far. Yet, the 22-year-old isn't short of experience in T20s, having played 33 games with 42 wickets to show for.

Meanwhile, Wanindu Hasaranga enjoyed a sensational run with RCB in 2022 but played only eight games last year. He will hope to recover in time for the T20 World Cup in June.

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SRH set to bat first in crucial encounter against PBKS

Back to the action on the field, PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and elected to field first.

The game is crucial for both teams as they are currently fifth and sixth in the points table with two wins and as many losses in four games. Both SRH and PBKS are coming off contrasting victories against CSK and GT in their previous encounters, setting up a potentially enthralling contest.

PBKS won their season opener at the same venue against DC and will look to make Mullanpur their fortress, considering they play three more games after the SRH clash.

As for SRH, they won both their games at home but are yet to open the account away from Hyderabad.

Both teams went with unchanged sides for this all-important mid-table clash that could see the victor break into the top four.