Axar Patel Out of South Africa T20s, Shahbaz Ahmed Called Up
India’s all-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out of the remaining T20 International matches against South Africa due to illness, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Monday.
The ongoing five-match T20 series between India and South Africa currently sees India leading 2-1. The fourth match is scheduled to be played on Wednesday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Ahead of this game, the Indian team suffered a significant setback as Axar Patel was unable to play the third match in Dharamshala due to his deteriorating health.
As a result, 31-year-old spin all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has been added to the squad as Axar’s replacement. Shahbaz returns to the Indian team after nearly two years, having last played in October 2023. He has represented India in three One Day Internationals and two T20 Internationals since his international debut in 2022.
The BCCI issued a statement saying, “India all-rounder Axar Patel is out of the remaining two T20 matches against South Africa due to illness. However, he remains with the team in Lucknow and will undergo further medical assessment. The Men’s Selection Committee has included Shahbaz Ahmed in the squad for the T20 matches in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.”
The updated Indian squad for the last two T20 matches against South Africa includes captain Suryakumar Yadav, vice-captain Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, wicketkeepers Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Shahbaz Ahmed.
(Udaipur Kiran)
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
