Dasun Shanaka set to join Rajasthan Royals as Sam Curran’s replacement

In yet another blow to the Pakistan Super League, Sri Lanka captain and all-rounder Dasun Shanaka is set to join the Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran in the upcoming Indian Premier League.

The move will make Shanaka the latest player to switch from the PSL to the IPL after Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani pulled out of his contract with Islamabad United to join Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman.

“Dasun’s signing is pending owing to his paperwork in the PSL, which is a formality. He is likely to join the squad in Guwahati,” a team source said.

RR will begin their campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati, their home venue, in the first phase of the IPL schedule that has been announced so far.

Under Shanaka’s leadership, co-hosts Sri Lanka had crashed out in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. Shanaka scored 165 runs, including a 31-ball 76 not out against Pakistan, while he also took three wickets in the T20 World Cup.

Having gone unsold at the IPL’s mini-auction last December, Shanaka was picked up by PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars.

While Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara is the Royals’ head coach, former India batting coach Vikram Rathour is the assistant coach of the side. Rathour was the consulting batting coach of Sri Lanka during the T20 World Cup.