India all-rounder and vice-captain Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in a blow to the so-far unbeaten host's campaign for a third title, reports UNB.
The 30-year-old suffered a left ankle injury in India's seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Pune last month and was in a fight to regain fitness ahead of the tournament’s knockout stages.
Since then, he has missed games against New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka as India continued its winning spree, going unbeaten in the tournament across its seven games.
In Pandya’s absence, Mohammed Shami has played all three games and picked up 14 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls. The two-time champions are the first team to qualify for the semi-finals with two games in hand.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna has been brought in as replacement for Pandya, after gaining approval from ICC’s tournament technical committee. The 27-year-old has played 17 one-day internationals and taken 29 wickets.
India takes on South Africa in Kolkata on Sunday and then plays the Netherlands in Bengaluru on Nov. 12.
It will play its semifinal in Mumbai on Nov. 15, unless it meets archrival Pakistan in the last four — in which case the game would be played in Kolkata on Nov. 16.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
