Welegedara likely to be fit for last ODI in Delhi

Kolkata:

Sri Lanka pacer Chanaka Welegedara is on track for a fast recovery from the groin strain and is likely to be fit for the fifth and final One-day International against India in New Delhi on Sunday.

Welegedara will remain with the squad and his injury will be assessed by Sri Lankan team physio Tommy Simsek during their practice tomorrow.

"He should be fit to play in Delhi for the fifth one-day International of the series so he remains with the squad. We are not going to take any chances we will take a call after assessing him during the team practice tomorrow," Sri Lanka manager Brendon Kuruppu told PTI before the team's departure to Delhi by an afternoon flight today.

Welegedara suffered a groin strain during his team's practice session on Wednesday and had to pull out of the third one-dayer against India at the last moment.

Sri Lanka solely missed the service of Welegedara as Indians plundered the Lankan attack and chased down the 316 target with 11 balls to spare to win the match by seven wickets and clinch the series.

Welegedara has been the most successful pacer of Lankan attack, taking five wickets from three matches.

Lankan bowling has been plauged by injuries in this tour of India. Ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and pacer Dilhara Fernando were earlier sent home with finger injuries.

Earlier, bowlers Thilan Thushara and Dammika Prasad were sent home midway from the India tour because of shoulder and hamstring injuries respectively.