Major blow for England as Reece Topley gets ruled out of ODI World Cup 2023 due to finger injury

England’s fast bowler Reece Topley’s ODI World Cup dreams were abruptly shattered as he was forced to withdraw from the tournament. The unfortunate incident unfolded during a match against South Africa in Mumbai when Topley sustained a left index finger fracture. 

This injury not only dealt a major blow to England‘s bowling lineup but also marked the end of Topley’s campaign in the tournament. Topley’s absence is a significant setback for England, given his proficiency in both swing and seam bowling. His departure has left the team scrambling to find a suitable replacement, making their path to World Cup glory all the more challenging. England Cricket Board revealed that Topley will be returning to England.

“Scans in Mumbai on Saturday, after the match at the Wankhede Stadium, revealed the full extent of the injury. Topley will return to the UK in the next 24 hours. He will work closely with the England and Surrey medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation. A replacement will be announced in due course,” ECB was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

It’s very much looking like it’s a crack: Matthew Mott

England’s head coach Matthew Mott earlier talked about Topley’s injury and said that he has a crack in his finger. Mott also talked about whether Jofra Archer will replace him in the squad or not. However, he revealed that Archer is still under medication so he won’t be replacing him as of now.

“I thought Reece Topley going back out to bowl with a broken finger showed great spirit. We’re still waiting on that, but it’s very much looking like it’s a crack. Certainly, that’s the early diagnosis, but we’ll find out properly with X-rays. Jof is actually not going to be considered for selection. He’s come out, he’s reported to the medical staff, but he’s not going to be able to play a part in the end of this campaign,” Mott was quoted as saying by Crictracker.