Muralitharan ruled out of Twenty20 Championship

Muttiah Muralitharan has been ruled out of the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa beginning on September 11 after he sustained an elbow injury while playing for Lancashire. Offspinner Dilruwan Perera, who is yet to make his international debut, was named as his replacement in the squad.

"It is with regret we inform our cricket fans that Muttiah Muralitharan has been compelled to pull out of the Twenty20 World Championship squad due to an injury," said Sri Lanka Cricket in a statement. "Dilruwan Perera will be joining the Sri Lanka squad as a replacement."

Murali walked off the field with a right bicep strain after bowling more than 33 overs on the first day of Lancashire's game against Kent on August 28. Though he returned before the close of play, he did not bowl any further during Kent's innings.

"Murali is affected by an elbow injury and he will be out for four to six weeks," the secretary of the Sri Lankan cricket board, Kangadaran Mathivanan, had told AFP. "He is definitely out of the Twenty20 [championship]." The injury also means that Murali may not be fit in time for the five-ODI home series against England which starts on October 1.

Sri Lanka open their Twenty20 campaign against Kenya in Johannesburg on September 14.