Kane Williamson's Replacement Announced, Dasun Shanaka Set To Join Gujarat Titans In IPL 2023

Shanaka, who is Sri Lanka's white-ball captain, is an explosive middle-order batsman and also bowls right-arm seam.

Twitter Image

Gujarat Titans (GT) have announced the appointment of Dasun Shanaka as a replacement for Kane Williamson in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Williamson, who suffered an injury to his right leg while attempting a catch during the opening match against Chennai Super Kings on March 31, will now head back to New Zealand for further assessment.

All set for the first Away game! ___

Wishes, #AavaDe | #DCvGT | #TATAIPL 2023 pic.twitter.com/7ETXPqBhuL

— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) April 4, 2023

Shanaka, the Sri Lankan white-ball captain, is known for his explosive batting in the middle-order and his right-arm seam bowling. He had a stellar performance in the recent T20I series in India, scoring 124 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 187 and an average of 62.00. He was also Sri Lanka's top run-scorer in the subsequent ODI series, scoring 121 runs in three innings. Shanaka was signed by GT for his base price of INR 50 lakh and this will be his maiden season in the IPL.

Following Williamson's injury, Sai Sudarshan replaced him as the impact player during the match against Chennai Super Kings. Despite Williamson's absence, Gujarat Titans secured a 5-wicket victory in their IPL campaign opener.

Williamson had attempted to stop the ball from going over the boundary for a six during the match. He landed awkwardly on the ground and it was apparent that he had injured himself while making the effort. GT had bought Williamson for INR 2 crore in the IPL 2023 auction last year.

The Gujarat Titans have not yet announced a replacement for Williamson, but the team is expected to make an announcement in due course. The loss of Williamson will be a significant blow to GT's campaign, but the arrival of Shanaka should provide some much-needed firepower to the middle-order. With the IPL 2023 in full swing, fans and cricket enthusiasts around the world will be eagerly anticipating the performances of Shanaka and the rest of the Gujarat Titans squad.