Mumbai: Rajasthan Royals star all-rounder Ben Stokes has been ruled out of Indian Premier League 2021 with a broken finger. The franchise released a statement on the same.
“Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ben Stokes injured a finger on his left hand while fielding during the team’s match against Punjab Kings on 12 April 2021 in Mumbai. Subsequent investigations revealed that he sustained a broken finger, which will, unfortunately, rule him out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2021 season,” the Royals’ statement read.
“Everyone at Rajasthan Royals absolutely admires Ben for being such a huge asset and a valuable member of the Royals family, both on and off the field, and wishes him a speedy recovery. We are delighted that Ben would like to stay with the group to provide his valued support and inputs off the field. In the meantime, we will be reviewing potential replacement options for the remainder of the season,” the statement added.
Stokes sustained the injury while taking a catch to dismiss Punjab Kings’ Chris Gayle. Stokes will remain in India for a week. The England Cricket Board (ECB) is in contact with the Rajasthan Royals and Stokes is expected to have an X-ray on Thursday to determine the extent of his injury.
Talking about the game Royals lost their opening clash by 4 runs on Monday after failing to chase down the target of mammoth 222 runs. Rajasthan Royals will next face Delhi Capitals in their second game on Thursday (April 15).
