IPL 2024 : Shamar Joseph joins Lucknow Super Giants after ECB pulls Mark Wood out
Shamar Joseph, a West Indies fast bowler, has joined the Lucknow Super Giants as a substitute for England quick Mark Wood. He will join the Super Giants for INR 3 crore, according to an IPL statement released on Saturday.
Popular News Channel believes that the ECB has pulled Wood, a centrally contracted player, out of the IPL 2024 to control his workload, with the T20 World Cup due for June and England hosting West Indies and Sri Lanka for Tests in the home summer. Recently, the ECB barred Jofra Archer from participating in the IPL 2024 auction while he recovers from injury ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Wood was signed by the Super Giants at an auction prior to the 2022 season for INR 7.50 crore. He did, however, miss the season due to an elbow injury. Wood played four IPL 2023 matches, taking 11 wickets at an average of 11.82.
Joseph made his West Indies debut in the drawn series against Australia, dismissing Steven Smith with his first ball in Test cricket, which the team lost in Adelaide. He subsequently became a worldwide sensation when, despite an ailing foot, he claimed seven wickets in the final innings to lead West Indies to a stunning eight-run victory at the Gabba in the second Test. It was West Indies’ first Test victory in Australia since 1997.
Joseph had signed with Dubai Capitals for the upcoming ILT20 season before to the West Indies’ tour of Australia, however he was later ruled out due to a toe injury sustained in the Brisbane Test after a Mitchell Starc yorker struck him. However, his success in Australia has earned him a contract with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL, which begins on February 17.
While Joseph has only played two T20 games in his professional career and has yet to take a wicket, West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy has hinted that Joseph might make the T20 World Cup squad, stating that the fast bowler has “created a good headache” for the selectors.
Apart from Joseph, the Super Giants’ fast bowling lineup includes Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, David Willey, Shivam Mavi, Yash Thakur, and Yudhvir Singh. They also have allrounders Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, and Arshin Kulkarni, India’s Under-19 World Cup winner, who can bowl several overs. Despite being only two seasons old in the IPL, the Super Giants have been one of the most successful teams, making the playoffs and placing third in both 2022 and 2023.
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