South Africa’s bowler Anrich Nortje, third from left, injured himself before the IPL season began. (Source: AP)Kolkata Knight Riders have brought in Australian pacer Matt Kelly as a replacement for the injured South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje for the remainder of the Indian Premier League season.
Right-arm seamer Kelly has played 16 First-Class matches, five List A games, and 12 T20s so far, and will be making his IPL debut. The 24-year-old has represented Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League.
Kelly has impressed Mark Waugh enough with the former national selector suggesting he should be in the mix for Australia’s World Cup squad. “I’ve got one bolter from Western Australia, Matt Kelly, who no one’s spoken about,” Waugh told Big Sports Breakfast radio program.
“One thing we do lack slightly is a really good death bowler — a guy who can bowl yorkers at the end of the innings and he’s really good at that.
“He played for the Scorchers and WA. He’s a bit of a smoky but I’d have him the mix.”
Nortje, 25, was forced to pull out of the IPL after picking up a shoulder injury ahead of the tournament. However, this wasn’t the only injury setback KKR suffered. India’s U-19 World Cup-winning pace duo of Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti also pulled out of IPL 2019 after sustaining pre-season injuries. They were replaced by KC Cariappa and Sandeep Warrier.
KKR’s injury woes worsened with in form Andre Russell sustaining a blow to his hand while batting in their previous fixture, against Chennai Super Kings, on Tuesday (April 9). Russell, though, continued to bat on and even fielded in KKR’s seven-wicket loss.
Dislodged from the top of the IPL points table after a meek surrender in Chennai, KKR will now face Delhi Capitals at the Eden Gardens on Friday (April 12). The Knight Riders are placed second in the points table with four wins in six games, while Capitals are sixth, with three wins and as many losses.
