Brydon Carse has been ruled out of the rest of England’s Champions Trophy campaign with leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed drafted in as a replacement for the fast bowler.
Carse missed the last two ODIs against India earlier this month because of a blister on a left toe that needed stitches, which were taken out last week, allowing him to play in England’s five-wicket defeat by Australia on Saturday.
He struggled in England’s tournament opener in Lahore, though, going at almost 10 runs an over with figures of 7-0-69-1, and frustratingly he suffered a recurrence of his toe injury.
Concerns about his availability for Wednesday’s must-win Group B contest against Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium grew when he was a conspicuous absentee from Monday’s training session at the ground.
The most likely replacement in England’s XI to face Afghanistan is Jamie Overton although fellow pacemen Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood are alternative options.
England are permitted to make a change to their 15-strong squad in case of injury and the International Cricket Council announced on Monday afternoon the replacement of Ahmed for Carse had been ratified.
Despite the weekend hiccup, Carse has impressed in all formats in recent months, especially in his five Test appearances in Pakistan and New Zealand, and he will now look to convalesce ahead of a stint in the Indian Premier League, having been snapped up by Pat Cummins’ Sunrisers Hyderabad at the auction.
While not a like-for-like replacement, Ahmed offers an extra dimension to England’s bowling attack after their quicks laboured against Australia, taking a combined three for 226 in 26.3 overs.
In contrast, Ahmed’s fellow leg-break bowler Adil Rashid, plus the supplementary spinning options provided by Liam Livingstone and Joe Root, united to claim figures of two for 120 from 21 overs.
Ahmed, who was an unused squad member on the recent white-ball trip to India, is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday and is set to be available for England’s final group stage clash against South Africa at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.
Should they win their final two group fixtures, England could play a semi-final against India in Dubai, a venue where slow bowling options will be imperative.
Gutted to be losing you, Brydon ????
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 24, 2025
England racked up the highest total in Champions Trophy history at the weekend, amassing 351 for eight, before it was overtaken just a few hours later as Australia won with 15 balls to spare.
With Afghanistan also beaten in their tournament opener – as South Africa claimed a 107-run win in Karachi on Friday – whoever loses in Lahore in midweek is likely staring at an early exit.
The backdrop to this contest is Afghanistan’s participation in the tournament and England have faced calls to boycott the clash in protest at the assault on women’s rights under the Taliban regime.
All female sport has effectively been banned in the country, leaving the majority of Afghanistan’s women’s team living in exile.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has called for a “co-ordinated international response by the cricketing community”, but ruled out a boycott, with Root backing that stance.
Root said: “I don’t see that boycotting this game is going to make any sort of positive impact.
“Clearly there’s things over there that are hard to hear and read up on but cricket is such a source of joy for so many people.
“For a number of people within Afghanistan, I think it’s an opportunity to celebrate – cricket gives them hope, gives them joy. Hopefully the two teams can do that in this next fixture.”
