T20 WC: Injury issues for Eng, SL as Topley & Chameera ruled out

MELBOURNE: England pacer Reece Topley has been ruled out of the ICC T20 World Cup after suffering an ankle injury during a fielding drill. As per ICC, Tymal Mills, a travelling reserve with the team will be replacing Topley, who has performed brilliantly for England in T20Is recently.

Topley rolled his ankle while stepping on a boundary cushion ahead of his side's warm-up game against Pakistan. Mills had played a key role in his side's ICC T20 WC 2021 campaign, but an injury had cut his time down back then.

There are other teams who have made changes to their squad. Notably, Asian champions Sri Lanka have lost Dushmantha Chameera, an in-form bowler to a calf injury, and he has been replaced by Kasun Rajitha.

Chameera hurt his calf injury during his side's comprehensive 79-run win over UAE on Tuesday and team officials called for a backup by asking Rajitha to fly over for the remainder of the tournament.

This is not the end to Lanka's injury issues in the tournament. Top-order batter Danushka Gunathilaka has been replaced by Ashen Bandara, a travelling reserve after he suffered a hamstring tear. UAE were also forced to make a squad change with all-rounder Zawar Farid sustaining a foot injury.

He has been replaced by Fahad Nawaz. With Mills being aware of Australian conditions, England will be hoping that Mills steps in to fill the void easily.

However, Topley's absence will be a big blow to England. Topley, an effective bowler in powerplay and death overs for England, has been his side's leading wicket-taker in T20Is this year with 17 wickets at an average of 28.0 and an economy rate of 7.80.

Sri Lanka currently sits in third place in Group A need to defeat the Netherlands in their final match to make sure that they reach the Super 12 phase of the tournament.

Chameera's four wickets in the first two matches were good signs for Sri Lanka, but his absence will deprive skipper Dasun Shanaka of a great new ball option and a reliable death bowler.