Calcutta: Delhi medium-pacer Pradeep Sangwan has replaced the injured Shami Ahmed in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for Champions League T20, on Wednesday.
During India A's tour of New Zealand last month, Shami picked up a side strain during the first four-day match.
The injury had ruled him out for the rest of the tour.
Although the pacer travelled with the KKR squad to South Africa, KKR's CEO and MD Venky Mysore informed on Twitter that the bowler has been ruled out.
"Unfortunately, Shami has picked up a side strain from the India A tour of NZ.
"Sangwan will replace him in the KKR squad for CLT20," Mysore tweeted.
The injury comes as a huge blow for KKR, especially when Shami was in such good form.
On the pacy and bouncy New Zealand wickets, the pacer impressed with his variations. That he picked up two wickets in the only one-day match he played and also snared three in the first four-day match would have helped him on the South African tracks, which are similar in nature to those in New Zealand.
KKR play their first match on Saturday.
