Glenn Maxwell's Fractured Finger Sidelines Him from IPL

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is set to miss the rest of the IPL season due to a fractured finger, dealing a blow to Punjab Kings. Suryansh Shedge steps in as Maxwell's replacement while the team strategizes future lineups to maintain their position in the tournament.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) are facing a major setback as Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is expected to miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season due to a fractured finger. ESPNCricinfo reported this development on Wednesday, just before PBKS's game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk Stadium. Teammate Marcus Stoinis confirmed the injury, revealing that Maxwell sustained the fracture during a training session ahead of their previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He stated that Maxwell is likely "out of the tournament."

In a bid to adjust to Maxwell's absence, PBKS has called up all-rounder Suryansh Shedge and started their game with only three overseas players in the line-up. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged the situation at the toss, commenting, "It is very unfortunate that he's got a fractured finger." However, Iyer expressed confidence in the team's depth, saying, "We have not decided about the replacements yet so far but we are pretty strong in our team's mindset and what we have outside of our playing XI. We have got a variety of players who can win you matches."

Stoinis further elaborated on Maxwell's condition in a pre-match interview, saying, "Unfortunately, Maxi's broken his finger. He broke it just before the last game at training. He did not think it was too bad, but it ended up getting pretty bad. He had scans, and yeah, the results were not great." The timing of the injury adds to Maxwell's challenges, as he has been struggling with form, scoring just 48 runs in six innings. Despite being bought for Rs 4.2 crore at last year's mega auction, his performance this season has been below par. PBKS finds itself in fifth place on the points table, with five wins, three losses, and no results.

(With inputs from agencies.)