Today’s news that Reece Topley will not be participating in the Twenty20 World Cup was a setback for England.
The left-arm seamer, who was collecting catches during fielding practice before Monday’s warm-up victory against Pakistan in Brisbane, rolled his ankle after stepping on the “Toblerone” boundary foam.
He is the latest English player to experience a bizarre injury.
Reece Topley
At first, England thought it was nothing serious, but scans showed that Topley, 28, has ligament damage and will miss the entire month-long competition.
It is a crushing setback for a bowler who has battled through more than his fair share of ailments and four back stress fractures in the past five years to earn a spot in England’s first-choice Twenty20 lineup.
Topley will likely be replaced in the squad by fellow left-armer Tymal Mills, one of the three England reserves who are traveling here as reserves.
Mills is a seriously quick bowler who has looked promising in practice.
However, England may need to reconsider their starting lineup for Saturday’s opening World Cup match against Afghanistan here in Perth.
Chris Jordan is expected to replace Topley in that lineup.
The performance of Topley, Sam Curran, and Chris Woakes on his own comeback from injury had made it seem as though Jordan.
England’s top T20 wicket-taker and an expert at the end, would be left out.
However, he now seems destined to attack the perpetually hapless Topley.
As soon as the ICC has authorized Mills to take Topley’s squad spot, England will confirm the information.
He has now established himself as a major member of England’s white-ball teams.
This year recorded his greatest T20 and one-day international cricket scores for his country – 3-22 and an England record 6-24 – against India in the summer.
He had established himself as a vital component of England’s bowling assault, doing well with the new ball and in the final few overs.
Jofra Archer is out for a long time due to an injury, and England also lost batsman Jonny Bairstow to a bizarre leg injury prior to the competition.
Jos Buttler’s team, though, has had a promising tournament run thanks to a 4-3 series win in Pakistan and a 2-0 triumph over the event’s hosts and defending winners Australia.
On Saturday at 12:00 BST in Perth, England will take on Afghanistan.
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