English paceman Harry Gurney to miss T20 Blast and IPL 2020

Notts Outlaws medium-pacer Harry Gurney has been ruled out of the T20 Blast and the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League due to a shoulder injury. The Nottinghamshire paceman will undergo surgery in September and thus will miss his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders’ camp in UAE.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is all set to kick-start the much-awaited 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) from September 19, with the final to take place on November 10. The cash-rich league will be played in three venues of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

Gurney had made his debut in the Indian Premier League with Kolkata Knight Riders and had featured in the team’s squad last year. The left-arm seamer had represented KKR in IPL 2019 in eight matches taking 7 scalps while maintaining an economy of 8.81. He had also won a Man of the Match award for his winning spell of 2 for 25 in four overs against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

I’m devastated to have to miss the Blast: Harry Gurney

The English cricketer is disappointed at missing the T20 Blast as it was after a long time that domestic cricket has started in the country. His association with Notts Outlaws has been amazing and he is the leading wicket-taker across the last three T20 Blast seasons with 63 wickets and has been their go-to death bowler for a number of years. Nonetheless, Gurney is looking forward to cheering for his team from outside as they will try to win the title.

“Having gone through the same frustrations as everyone this year in waiting for cricket to restart, I’m devastated to have to miss the Blast. Some of the proudest moments in my career have been with Notts, and nothing quite compares to being out on the field at Trent Bridge competing for trophies with some of my best mates. To have that taken away for a year is tough,” Gurney said as quoted by Cricbuzz

“I have a huge amount of faith in the squad of players and in their ability to go deep in the tournament. I’ll be cheering them on for sure, and will be there with a word of advice or tactical input whenever it’s needed,” he added.

Notts Outlaws head coach Peter Moores heaped praises on the pacer that he has been excellent with the ball and his absence from the team is a big blow. However, this will also open the door of opportunities for other bowlers who were waiting for a single chance to prove their capabilities.