Bell to replace injured Root at World Twenty20
ENGLAND batsman Joe Root will be replaced by Ian Bell for this month’s World Twenty20, after scans revealed the severity of his thumb injury yesterday.
Root suffered a multiple fracture during last week’s series-clinching one-day international against West Indies, though remained at the crease and scored 107 runs.
The 23-year-old flew back to England and met with a specialist, who ruled he would not be fit to take part in the World T20, which begins on Sunday, with New Zealand the first opponents for Stuart Broad’s side on 22 March.
Broad is also struggling with a knee problem, which he has managed during a packed winter schedule with a series of cortisone injections. The seam bowler and T20 captain will miss the final two internationals against West Indies, though expects to be fit for the tournament in Bangladesh.
Bell has represented England just seven times in T20 internationals and not featured for his country in that format since a narrow defeat to Australia in January 2011.