Shahbaz Ahmed replaces injured Washington Sundar for ODIs against Zimbabwe

New Delhi: Shahbaz Ahmed is set to replace Washington Sundar in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe. Sundar is reported to be injured and the place of the all-rounder will be filled by Ahmed. Sundar got the shoulder injury in a county match in the Royal London Cup in England.

BCCI in an official statement, said, “The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Shahbaz Ahmed as the replacement for Washington Sundar for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe. Washington Sundar injured his shoulder while playing a County game in England. He has been ruled out of the Zimbabwe tour. India will play the first ODI against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on August 18, 2022.”

Washington, whom cricket pundits considered to be a player to watch out for in the series, has been struggling with injuries lately.  In February, the cricketer missed T20Is against West Indies and Sri Lanka because of a hamstring injury. In the last IPL, he hurt his webbing twice and played just nine games for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Now, his shoulder injury has prolonged his comeback in the international arena.

On the other hand, Shahbaz Ahmed played well in the Ranji Trophy, 262 runs in his last two games, while taking 12 wickets in just three innings for Bengal. He has an impressive batting average of 47.28 in his 26 List-A games while he has taken 24 wickets at an average of 39.20. His hitting ability and consistency have made him a good replacement for Washington.