<p>A statement released by Sri Lanka Cricket in Colombo earlier on Monday said the star off-spinner had been “advised to rest for two or three weeks” following a groin problem he suffered during the team’s two-wicket opening match defeat by New Zealand here on Friday.<br /><br />That would rule him out of the rest of the World Twenty20.<br />But Sangakkara, speaking after Sri Lanka’s 14-run, rain-affected, win over Zimbabwe here on Monday, said Muralitharan - whose place against the Africans was taken by 25-year-old off-spinner Suraj Randiv - would be given a chance to prove his fitness.<br />“We haven’t ruled him out completely,” Sangakkara told reporters. “We are going to give him a few more days to try and see whether he can get on the park and compete at 100 percent for us.<br /><br />“If not we have Suraj Randiv who has had a very impressive six months in domestic and international cricket.<br />“He’s bowled against some of the toughest opponents in the world on flat tracks in India and Bangladesh.<br /><br />“He can field brilliantly, handle a bat and more importantly get through his four overs.<br />“The cover is there, of course you can’t replace Murali, we would love to have him all the time, but we have tried to cover for changes to the team.”<br />Earlier, the SLC statement appeared to indicate the World Twenty20 was over for 38-year-old vice-captain Muralitharan.<br /><br />“Clinical tests revealed a grade one strain of his right adductor muscle,” team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said in the statement.<br />“Murali has been advised to rest for two to three weeks.”</p>
<p>A statement released by Sri Lanka Cricket in Colombo earlier on Monday said the star off-spinner had been “advised to rest for two or three weeks” following a groin problem he suffered during the team’s two-wicket opening match defeat by New Zealand here on Friday.<br /><br />That would rule him out of the rest of the World Twenty20.<br />But Sangakkara, speaking after Sri Lanka’s 14-run, rain-affected, win over Zimbabwe here on Monday, said Muralitharan - whose place against the Africans was taken by 25-year-old off-spinner Suraj Randiv - would be given a chance to prove his fitness.<br />“We haven’t ruled him out completely,” Sangakkara told reporters. “We are going to give him a few more days to try and see whether he can get on the park and compete at 100 percent for us.<br /><br />“If not we have Suraj Randiv who has had a very impressive six months in domestic and international cricket.<br />“He’s bowled against some of the toughest opponents in the world on flat tracks in India and Bangladesh.<br /><br />“He can field brilliantly, handle a bat and more importantly get through his four overs.<br />“The cover is there, of course you can’t replace Murali, we would love to have him all the time, but we have tried to cover for changes to the team.”<br />Earlier, the SLC statement appeared to indicate the World Twenty20 was over for 38-year-old vice-captain Muralitharan.<br /><br />“Clinical tests revealed a grade one strain of his right adductor muscle,” team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said in the statement.<br />“Murali has been advised to rest for two to three weeks.”</p>