ICC World Twenty20: Craig Kieswetter replaces injured Luke Wright
England have suffered major injury blows before the ICC World Twenty20. Even skipper Stuart Broad is unfit.
The International Cricket Council has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 has approved Craig Kieswetter as a replacement player for Luke Wright in the England men's squad for the tournament. The tournament runs until April 6. England clash with New Zealand in their opening Super-10 stage match in Chittagong on Saturday.
Twenty20 specialist Wright has a right side strain and, therefore, has been ruled out of the tournament. Kieswetter, 26, has represented England in 25 T20Is in which he has scored 526 runs at a healthy strike-rate of almost 112. His last T20I was against New Zealand in Pallekele at the World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012.
The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.
The Event Technical Committee of the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 consists of Geoff Allardice (ICC, chairman), Campbell Jamieson (IDI representative), Mahbubul Anam (BCB Director), Khaled Mahmud Sujan (BCB Director and former captain), Russel Arnold (independent nominee) and Mpumelelo Mbangwa (independent nominee).
England have already lost the talented all-rounder Joe Root and batsman Ben Stokes. Root suffered a broken thumb which forced him to leave the West Indies tour. Root has been replaced with Ian Bell. The Three Lions are also sweating on skipper Stuart Broad's fitness.