Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has responded to reports regarding how cricketer Kusal Janith Perera was injured and how his surgery was funded.
The SLC said in a statement that it had worked out a 12-week rehabilitation program for Perera’s recovery from a long-standing shoulder injury in consultation with the SLC’s Medical Panel to ensure that the player is ready for selection for the T20I Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
To achieve this goal, Sri Lanka Cricket advised Kusal Janith Perera to refrain from playing competitive cricket and instead participate in the proposed “Rehabilitation Program” overseen by the SLC Medical panel.
The SLC also warned the player that delaying the rehab program could worsen his injury.
However, instead of following the SLC’s advice, the player competed in the Lanka Premier League 2021, jeopardizing his recovery program.
Even after his participation in the Lanka Premier League 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket’s Medical Panel decided to rehabilitate the player, with a focus on the upcoming T20i Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, leaving him out of several recent international tours.
Despite his efforts, he did not participate in regular “rehabilitation” work, and his last appearance at the High-Performance Center for “rehabilitation” was on April 29, 2022.
As a result of his lack of commitment to a consistent rehabilitation program, Sri Lanka Cricket was forced to reconsider making a full commitment in this case, as the player’s delay did not align with SLC’s overall program of preparing players for the upcoming T20I Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The SLC stated that, despite this situation, it has informed Kusal Janith Perera that a significant portion of the cost of his surgery will be borne by Sri Lanka Cricket.
