 Muralitharan took his 700th Test wicket in July |
Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will miss the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 because of a bicep injury. The selectors have called up Dilruan Perera to replace him after accepting he will not recover in time for the tournament in South Africa.
Muralitharan strained the bicep above his right elbow while bowling for Lancashire against Kent on Wednesday.
The initial prognosis of his injury was that he would be out of action for four to six weeks.
As a result, he could also be in danger of missing the home one-day international series against England in early October.
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But he should be fit for the two Tests against Australia in November where he needs nine wickets to overtake Shane Warne's record tally of 708.
Muralitharan's absence will be a huge blow to the Twenty20 hopes of in-form Sri Lanka, whose captain Mahela Jayawardene said on Wednesday that his side could win the tournament.
Sri Lanka open their campaign against Kenya in Johannesburg on 14 September.
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