Sri Lanka’s all-rounder Dasun Shanaka is set to join Rajasthan Royals for the 2026 Indian Premier League season, replacing the injured Sam Curran. Rajasthan Royals, the first IPL champions, will kick off their season against Chennai Super Kings on March 30 at ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Talks are in progress for Shanaka’s move to Rajasthan Royals, with a team official indicating that the deal is almost finalized pending some formalities.
Shanaka, who remained unsold in the last IPL auction, was later signed by Lahore Qalandars for the upcoming Pakistan Super League season. If the deal goes through, Shanaka will be the second player this year to switch from PSL to IPL, following Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani. His signing by Rajasthan Royals is viewed as a direct replacement for Curran, with the team’s head coach Kumar Sangakkara and assistant coach Vikram Rathour having prior experience working with Shanaka.
Having previously played for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 and 2025 as a replacement player, Shanaka brings experience to the Rajasthan Royals squad. In 2023, he filled in for Kane Williamson, scoring 26 runs in three matches. In 2025, he was signed as a mid-season replacement but did not get a chance to play.
