Kolkata Knight Riders will miss Moeen Ali for their remaining two league phase matches after the all-rounder opted out due to personal reasons.
KKR will also be without Rovman Powell, who is undergoing a procedure for an unspecified injury. Powell had been in Dubai with the rest of KKR’s West Indies contingent while being in close consultation with the medical staff.
It is understood that the franchise is not looking at signing any short-term replacement. They will perhaps wait for the outcome of their match versus RCB and weigh their chances of progression before taking a call.
All other overseas players, including Quinton de Kock and Spencer Johnson, whose availability had been under cloud, have arrived in Bengaluru and were a part of Thursday’s practice session.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghanistan keeper-batter, was the last of their confirmed overseas signings to arrive.
KKR play RCB at the Chinnaswamy on Saturday.
The English trio of Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell and Liam Livingstone have joined the RCB camp. Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Jacob Bethell and Lungi Ngidi are also back in Bengaluru.
Bethell will be available for just two matches and is expected to return to England after RCB’s home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Shepherd though will be available for the full tournament despite being named in West Indies’ ODI squad.
Cricket West Indies on Thursday allowed its players to complete their IPL engagements before joining the national side.
Livingstone is not part of England’s white-ball squads and is expected to be available for the playoffs, and so are Salt and David.
Mendis for Buttler
Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis will replace Jos Buttler for the playoffs, Gujarat Titans have confirmed. Buttler will play their last three league matches before returning home.
LSG have roped in New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke as an injury replacement for Mayank Yadav.