Chamika Gunasekara concussed

SL v Afghan (first Test)

Chamika Gunasekara, the debutant for Sri Lanka, unfortunately had to retire hurt during the first Test against Afghanistan after being struck on the head by a bouncer from Naveed Zadran. As a result, Gunasekara has been ruled out for the remainder of the game. In response to this unfortunate incident, Kasun Rajitha was swiftly approved as a concussion substitute and began bowling during Afghanistan’s second innings. Gunasekara, aged 24, was immediately taken to the hospital for further assessment after leaving the field. Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed that Gunasekara will be under observation for the next 24 hours. The blow occurred during the 107th over of Sri Lanka’s first innings when Gunasekara attempted to evade Naveed’s bouncer but misjudged the height. The ball struck the top part of his helmet and went for four leg byes past the wicketkeeper. A concussion check was conducted immediately, and Gunasekara initially passed the test, allowing him to continue batting. However, in the 110th over, Gunasekara began to struggle visibly. He displayed signs of pain, clutching his head, prompting the medical staff to intervene. Subsequently, he was taken off the field and did not return to play.