ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: West Indies' Andre Russell ruled out of tournament after exacerbating knee injury; Sunil Ambris named replacement

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell, 31, has been struggling with a chronic knee injury for over the last five years, and now the same issue has curtailed his ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign, ruling him out of the remainder of the tournament.

The Jamaican has visibly played through pain in few games in the tournament and he even limped off the field in a defeat against England after bowling only two overs.

Russell dropped to the ground at the end of the 11th over, his second, after directing a short-pitch ball at England opener Jonny Bairstow. He left the field and didn’t bowl another over. He returned soon afterwards, playing in a defeat against Bangladesh, where he was dismissed on a duck and then bowled six overs.

BREAKING: Andre Russell has been ruled out of the rest of #CWC19 through injury. Sunil Ambris will join the West Indies squad as his replacement.#CWC19 | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/BuhWdjskzq

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 24, 2019

While it seemed for a while like he could make a comeback, he was dropped in the subsequent match against New Zealand, which the Windies lost as well.

Russell’s place in the squad will be taken by 26-year-old Sunil Ambris, who has played six One-Day Internationals.

West Indies set to next face India on Thursday.

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