Kolkata Knight Riders’ all-rounder Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2022 season. The Australian Test captain has flown back to Sydney after suffering a hip injury, which means KKR will be short of a pace bowler in their last two league games.
In five matches for KKR this season, Cummins picked up seven wickets, including a match-winning 3/22 against the Mumbai Indians in the most recent game. In the earlier fixture against Mumbai, Cummins had hit up a 14-ball fifty, which is the second-fastest 50 in the tournament’s history. However, apart from these two performances, Cummins largely underperformed and was one of Kolkata’s most expensive bowlers.
Before leaving, Cummins said, "I had an amazing time in India, and I would like to thank KKR for taking care of my family and me. I wish all the team members the best of luck for the remainder of the tournament. I will be watching the games and be cheering on."
The pacer has also been rested from Australia’s T20I series against Sri Lanka but is expected to be fit by the time the Test series between the two countries begins.
KKR are currently eighth in the points table and their chances of making the playoffs are very slim even if they win their remaining league games by big margins. Their next game is against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, followed by their last league game against Lucknow Super Giants on May 18. Currently, the only team to have qualified for the playoffs is Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans.
