Daryl Mitchell ruled out of MLC 2024 due to injury; Texas Super Kings announce Noor Ahmad as replacement
New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell will not be part of the Texas Super Kings' campaign in the second edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) in July 2024 due to injury. The franchise have named Afghanistan wrist spinner Noor Ahmad as the replacement ahead of the season.
Mitchell was roped in by the Texas Super Kings in March. He also represented the team's sister franchise, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). The all-rounder was part of the New Zealand squad that faced an early exit in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup.
"Daryl Mitchell has been ruled out of the 2024 Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament due to injury. Texas Super Kings have signed Afghanistan left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad as the replacement," an official statement by the Texas Super Kings read.
Mitchell's year has been riddled with injuries so far. He had sustained a foot injury that caused him to miss the second Test against South Africa and the T20I series against Australia at home.
Following his recovery, he struggled to find rhythm, and eventually had an indifferent campaign for CSK in the IPL, and could only score 36 runs in three innings at the T20 World Cup.
Noor Ahmad, meanwhile, has been one of the rising names when it comes to young spinners. He has already played for his national team, and numerous franchises in leagues like the SA20, ILT20, and the IPL. The left-arm wrist spinner is currently with the Afghanistan side that have qualified for the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Texas Super Kings rope in Marcus Stoinis ahead of the 2nd season of MLC
Texas Super Kings made it to the playoffs of the inaugural edition but lost consecutive matches to find themselves out of the competition. Ahead of the second season, they opted to retain skipper Faf du Plessis and the New Zealand pair of Mitchell Santner and Devon Conway.
The franchise recently announced the signing of newly-crowned No.1 T20I all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.
The second edition of MLC is set to take place from July 6 to July 29, with Texas Super Kings opening their campaign with a clash against the LA Knight Riders.