India announces replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah for T20 World Cup; Veteran pacer joins the squad

With just two days ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup 2022, India has announced the replament for the injured Jasprit Bumrah. India is currently playing their scheduled practise matches ahead of the tournament. With the injury to Bumrah, India were looking to pick an experienced bowler.

Hence, on Friday, the All India Selection Committee named Mohammed Shami as the replacement for Bumrah for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Shami travelled to Australia a couple of days ago and will now join Team India for the remaining two warm-up games.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a press conference and officials confirmed the statement. India is scheduled to play two warm-up matches on October 17 and October 19 against Australia and New Zealand, respectively.

The BCCI said in a press release, "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Mohammed Shami as Bumrah’s replacement in India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad. Shami has reached Australia and will link up with the squad in Brisbane ahead of the warm-up matches."

Shami, who tested COVID positive, missed the white-ball series against Australia and South Africa. Thus, he needs some game practise to get to match fitness. The pacer will feature in warm-up games. However, Shami hasn't played any games since India's tour of England.

On the other hand, he played his last T20I for India in the last T20 World Cup in 2021 in the UAE. So it will be important for him and India to give him some time on the field before the all-important clash against Pakistan on October 23 (Sunday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

India's Squad for T20 WC 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh