England has faced a major setback ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 campaign opener as pacer Reece Topley has been ruled out of the tournament. The pacer was set to miss the opening game against Afghanistan which is scheduled on Saturday, October 22 but as per recent developments, Topley has been ruled out of the entire event.
The pacer rolled his ankle while fielding ahead of the warm-up game against Pakistan in Brisbane and as a result, he did not bowl in the warm-up game. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is yet to announce Topley’s replacement but it is said that Richard Gleeson or Tymal Mills can make their way into the setup.
As per a report by The Telegraph, the left-arm fast bowler hurt his ankle after landing awkwardly on the advertising cushions, while fielding on the boundary. Prior to Saturday's campaign opener against Afghanistan in Perth, England had planned for Topley to be thoroughly examined. The results of the scan on the injury, though, confirmed the worries that his tournament would be finished before it even got underway.
Topley's hopes come crashing down
Both Topley and the English side have faced a major blow. This was supposed to be just the second T20 World Cup campaign for the pacer as earlier, he had only participated in the 2016 edition. The 28-year-old has a history of back injuries, having experienced four stress fractures, but he made a brilliant comeback in 2022, collecting 17 wickets in T20 after rejoining the team in the summer.
Be it T20Is or ODIs, Reece Topley has had a memorable outing so far, and his performances in white-ball cricket have been remarkable. That is what earned him a spot in England’s World Cup squad. He hasn't participated in a major international event since he made an appearance at the 2016 T20 World Cup as a 22-year-old due to injury.
The team members of England had been digesting the fact that one of their finest batters Jonny Bairstow and their spearhead bowler Jofra Archer had to miss the tournament owing to their respective injuries. And, the news of Reece Topley being ruled out has added to England’s worries as the team would now be looking to get the perfect combination for their World Cup campaign.
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