Why is Phil Salt not playing today's KKR vs SRH IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match?
Phil Salt is unavailable for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Qualifier 1 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (May 21). No England players are available for playoffs as they prepare for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The development is a big dent for the Knight Riders since Salt has been one of their star performers this season. The right-hander amassed 435 runs in 12 matches at an impressive strike rate of 182.01, including four half-centuries. He scored 54 off 40 balls, including three sixes and as many boundaries, in his last game against the SunRisers on March 23.
Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who will play his first game this IPL season, replaces Salt in the playing XI. The wicketkeeper-batter is a like-for-like replacement for Salt.
The right-hander scored 227 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 133.53, including two 50s last year. He will look to grab opportunities with both hands after warming the bench for almost two months in the T20 extravaganza.
"Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be slightly rusty" - Wasim Jaffer on KKR's weakness in IPL 2024 playoffs
Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer reckons that Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be a weak link in KKR's lineup in the IPL 2024 playoffs. The 46-year-old said that Gurbaz should have played a couple of games before the playoffs but rain played spoilsport in their matches against Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals.
Jaffer recently told ESPNCricinfo:
"Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be slightly rusty. He will miss game time. A couple of innings would’ve been better for Gurbaz before the playoffs. He has not played for a long time and will replace in-form Phil Salt as wicketkeeper-batter and opener. The Knight Riders’ batters have also not played for nearly 10 days."
Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram also expressed his frustration at players missing the playoffs of any T20 leagues. He told Sportskeeda:
“This is what you play for. That’s why it's frustrating not just for fans but owners, and captains of the teams for any league. So, I agree with Irfan [Pathan], come for the entire tournament otherwise don’t come.”
Follow the KKR vs SRH IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 live score and updates here.