Mayers Replaces Injured King in West Indies T20 World Cup Squad
The Cricket world was abuzz with news of a significant roster change for the West Indies squad in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Left-hand opening batter Kyle Mayers is set to join the team on Saturday, replacing the injured Brandon King for the remainder of the tournament.
In their previous match against England, King had gotten off to a blistering start, smashing 23 runs off just 12 deliveries, including a monstrous 101-meter six off Reece Topley. However, while attempting to charge down the track and target Sam Curran, King suffered a side strain, forcing him to retire hurt. Despite receiving medical attention, the 29-year-old was unable to continue and did not take the field during the run chase, with Shimron Hetmyer filling in for him.
“King’s absence is a significant blow for the West Indies, as he has been their leading run-scorer in T20Is since the start of 2023, amassing 651 runs in 23 innings, including four half-centuries.”
King traveled to Barbados to await the results of his MRI scans, but ultimately failed to recover in time for the team’s upcoming Super Eight fixture against the USA on Friday. This prompted the ICC Event Technical Committee to approve the inclusion of Kyle Mayers as a replacement in the West Indies squad.
Mayers, who has played 37 T20Is, was widely considered unfortunate to have missed the initial squad selection. The left-handed batter has been in impressive form this year, scoring 367 runs in 11 T20 matches at a blistering strike rate of 155.50, while also contributing with nine wickets through his medium-pace bowling.
Despite the setback, the West Indies will be eager to bounce back from their opening loss in the Super Eight stage when they face the USA on Friday in Barbados, before taking on South Africa on Sunday in North Sound, Antigua.
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