Injured Shami Ruled Out Of B’desh ODIs, Umran Malik Named Replacement

Mumbai: Senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh owing to a shoulder injury that he sustained during practice on Friday.

Umran Malik has been roped in as his replacement for the Bangladesh ODIs.

The announcement was made on Saturday via a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“Fast bowler Mohd Shami sustained a shoulder injury during a training session in the lead-up to the ODI series against Bangladesh. He is currently under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team at the NCA, Bengaluru and will not be able to take part in the three-match series,” the statement read.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Umran Malik as Shami’s replacement,” the statement added.

Shami’s ailment has not yet been fully assessed. The Bengal speedster, 33, is a crucial component of India’s ODI strategy heading into the World Cup next year.

Further, his availability for the Test series against the Bengal Tigers remains to be under covers. Shami’s absence from the Tests will worry captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid because India needs to win every game to remain in the running for the forthcoming World Test Championship final at the Oval in June.