India's unblemished journey in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 has suffered a significant setback, with the unfortunate news that their star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, will be sidelined for the remainder of the tournament due to his lingering ankle injury.
Pandya sustained the injury to his left ankle while bowling during India's World Cup encounter against Bangladesh in Pune last month.
The tournament's Event Technical Committee has granted approval for the inclusion of Prasidh Krishna as Pandya's replacement in the Indian squad, as confirmed by the ICC on Saturday.
Prasidh Krishna, who boasts 19 white-ball appearances for India, last featured at the international level when he secured the prized wicket of David Warner while conceding just 45 runs in nine overs against Australia, shortly before the commencement of the World Cup.
It's worth noting that any player replacement necessitates the official endorsement of the Event Technical Committee before the new player can be added to the squad.
With the approval for Prasidh Krishna's inclusion, he is now eligible for selection in India's crucial World Cup clash against South Africa, scheduled for Sunday. This contest holds significant importance, as both India and South Africa currently hold the top two positions on the World Cup standings. The victor of this match in Kolkata will position themselves favorably to conclude the group stage of the tournament at the summit of the rankings.
(With Agency Inputs)
