Sri Lanka's Dasun Shanaka is set to replace Sam Curran in the Rajasthan Royals squad for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
Curran will not be playing in the league this year due to a groin injury. EspnCricInfo has reported that Shanaka has signed for the team for Rs. 2 crore.
Interestingly, before the Royals picked Shanaka as Curran's replacement, he was expected to feature in the Pakistan Super League for Lahore Qalandarsm which have signed Australia's Daniel Sams as Shanaka's replacement.
Shanka captained Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup which concluded earlier this month. The 34-year-old all-rounder has previously featured in the IPL as he played three matches for Gujarat Titans during the 2023 season.
Curran was expected to make his debut for Rajasthan Royals this season after being traded from Chennai Super Kings alongside Ravindra Jadeja. The move saw Royals' long-time captain Sanju Samson head in the opposite direction as part of the deal.
Royals begin their season on March 30 with a match against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
Dasun Shanaka has become the second case of a player, already signed by a PSL team, to join an IPL franchise. Earlier this month, 2024 champions Kolkata Knight Riders signed Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani to fill the void left by Mustafizur Rahman's ouster. Muzarabani was already signed by PSL's Islamabad United.
The proceedings have not gone down well with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi as he has promised strict actions against players who indulge in such moves. "We will take action against those players according to the rules," Naqvi said. The 2026 season of the IPL gets underway on March 28 in Bengaluru with a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Also Read: IPL 2026: Sunil Gavaskar Hits Out At Overseas Players' Absence, Calls For Tough Action
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