Simmons out of World T20 with back injury
West Indies suffered another body blow ahead of the upcoming Word T20 in India with opening batsman Lendl Simmons having to withdraw from the tournament due to a back injury.
Simmons is the fourth player to pull out of the Windies squad for the global event after Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo all informed the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) about their unavailability.
Spinner Narine said he had not made sufficient progress in rectifying his bowling action after being banned by the ICC in November last year while Bravo said he wanted to concentrate on Test cricket.
Allrounder Pollard has not as yet recovered from a knee injury that he sustained while playing in the South African domestic T20 competition in November.
Dwayne Smith and Jonathan Carter are thought to be the front runners to replace Simmons but the West Indies selection panel have not yet decided on a replacement yet.
The 32-year-old Smith has already played 33 T20Is, scoring 582 runs at a strike-rate of 122.78 with a highest-score of 72 including three half-tons, while Carter is uncapped at T20I level but has played in 13 ODIs for the West Indies.
Barbados batsman Carter has played in 51 domestic T20 games and scored 906 runs at a strike-rate of 106.46, including one century and five fifties.
Latest
-
NewsChris Silverwood backs ‘fighter’ Dan Lawrence to make step up to Test cricket
The Essex batsmen is in line for an England Test debut against Sri Lanka on Thursday.
-
NewsRavichandran Ashwin condemns alleged racial abuse of Mohammed Siraj by SCG fans
Play was halted on day four of the third Test between Australia and India while six spectators were escorted out of Sydney Cricket Ground by police.
-
NewsInvestigation launched after Indian players allegedly abused by crowd in Sydney
Play was held up while police and security guards escorted six people from Sydney Cricket Ground.
-
NewsJos Buttler determined to keep standards high with gloves and bat in Sri Lanka
The 30-year-old has Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow for competition in the England side.
-
NewsEngland’s Dom Bess thinks pitch for Friday’s warm-up won’t be repeated in series
England finally took to the pitch in Hambantota for a low-key workout between Team Root and Team Buttler.
-
NewsProteas name Test squad for Pakistan tour
South Africa have named a 21-man touring party for the two-Test series in Pakistan.
-
NewsSmith makes distinction between out of runs and out of form
Steve Smith put paid to the suggestion he was out of form with a fighting hundred against India.
-
NewsEngland warm-up under way in Sri Lanka
The touring squad has returned a second round of clear Covid-19 tests following Moeen Ali’s positive result.
-
NewsJack Leach awaiting Covid vaccine news after ‘scary’ vulnerable classification
The England spinner takes medication for Crohn’s disease, leaving his immune system weakened.
-
NewsJonny Bairstow ready to tap into Jacques Kallis class during Sri Lanka tour
The England batsman is enthused about working with the Proteas great.