During Sri Lanka's Super Four match against Pakistan on September 14 at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium, Sadeera Samarawickrama found himself unexpectedly facing a menacing bouncer from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the midst of Sri Lanka's run-chase.
In the 27th over's final delivery, Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered a fiery bouncer that Samarawickrama was unprepared for. In an attempt to pull the ball, he failed to position himself adequately, resulting in the ball striking his helmet. It appeared that the delivery had hit Samarawickrama beneath his eyes, resembling a similar incident involving Salman Agha earlier in the week.
Following the impact, Samarawickrama removed his helmet, prompting Pakistani cricketers to gather around him. The physiotherapist also came onto the field to assess the injured batsman. After undergoing a concussion test, the 28-year-old continued his innings, receiving loud cheers from the crowd, who were delighted to see their local hero back in action.
At the time of the incident, Samarawickrama, a right-handed batsman, had amassed 41 runs from 45 balls, including three boundaries. In the following over, he confidently struck Shadab Khan for a four through the deep mid-wicket area. Furthermore, he went on to establish a formidable 100-run partnership with Kusal Mendis.
Despite his impressive performance, Samarawickrama fell short of achieving a well-deserved half-century, eventually being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed. In an attempt to take charge, he danced down the track but was comprehensively beaten by Iftikhar's crafty delivery. Mohammad Rizwan skillfully removed the bails, breaking the dangerous partnership. Samarawickrama's performance in the series has been noteworthy, accumulating 207 runs at an impressive average of 51.75 in five matches, with a top score of 93 against Bangladesh.
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