Lahore [Pakistan], February 25 (ANI): England have suffered a massive blow in keeping their Champions Trophy campaign alive. Right-arm quick Brydon Carse has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a toe injury, and spinner Rehan Ahmed has been called in as his replacement.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released a statement to confirm Carse’s omission from the tournament: “Durham and England bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse has been ruled out for the remainder of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy due to a left toe injury.”
Carse sustained the injury during England’s Champions Trophy opening Group B match against arch-rival Australia on Saturday in Lahore. Carse missed England’s training session on Monday with a toe injury.
He was considered to be fit for England’s tournament opener against Australia but struggled to find his rhythm. Carse was the most expensive bowler on the field, with an economy rate of 9.85 as Australia chased down a record-breaking 352-run target.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Carse’s issue with the toe began as a blister during England’s white-ball tour of India before the Champions Trophy. He required stitches for it and had to miss England’s final two ODIs against India.
As the injury got worse, he had to be withdrawn from England’s Champions Trophy squad ahead of their second group-stage game against Afghanistan on Wednesday in Lahore.
Rehan, who came in as the substitute for Carse, was an unused member of England’s squad during the white-ball tour of India. His inclusion will bolster England’s spin attack, which features Adil Rashid as the sole frontline spinner. The 20-year-old spinner has picked 10 wickets in five ODI outings with the ball for England.
With Carse out of action, Jamie Overton could return to England’s playing XI as a like-for-like replacement. Saqib Mahmood and Gus Atkinson are the other pace bowling options in England’s 15-member squad.
England: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood, Rehan Ahmed. (ANI)
