West Indies opening batter Brandon King will miss the remainder of the T20 World Cup 2024 after suffering a side strain. King sustained this injury during the Super Eight match against England, a game that saw West Indies defeated by eight wickets.
King, a right-handed batter, had provided a dynamic start for his team by scoring 23 runs off just 13 balls. His innings included three boundaries and an impressive 101-metre six off Reece Topley. However, his aggressive start was cut short when he attempted to hit a boundary off Sam Curran on his 13th ball. After coming down the pitch, King crumbled in pain and required immediate medical attention. Despite briefly continuing, he was ultimately forced to retire hurt and was replaced by Shimron Hetmyer as a substitute fielder.
Following the match, King underwent MRI scans which confirmed the severity of his side strain, ruling him out for the rest of the tournament. Consequently, the ICC Event Technical Committee approved Kyle Mayers as his replacement in the squad.
The ICC release stated, “The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has approved left-handed batter Kyle Mayers as a replacement for Brandon King in the West Indies squad.”
Mayers, who has been a part of the West Indies T20 setup, brings experience to the squad. He has played 37 T20Is, amassing 727 runs at an impressive strike rate of 140.61. Mayers is expected to join the squad on Saturday to bolster the team’s batting lineup as they continue their campaign in the tournament.
