Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have been dealt a major blow in the IPL 2023 as their star pacer Mark Wood has been ruled out of the final stages of the tournament. The Englishman has been one of the standout performers for LSG this season, but he has to return home to attend the birth of his daughter.Mark Wood’s absence will be sorely felt by LSG, as he has been their primary wicket- taker this season.
In just four games, the right-arm fast bowler has taken 11 wickets at an incredible average of 11.82, including a five-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals.However, LSG has found a worthy replacement in the Afghan seamer Naveen-ul-Haq.
The 22-year-old has impressed in his first two games for the franchise, taking fourwickets at an average of 19.50. His best performance came against Mumbai Indians,where he took two wickets and conceded just 19 runs in his four overs.Naveen-ul-Haq is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways and generate a good pace.
His variations make him a tough bowler to face, and he has already shown that he can hold his own against some of the best batsmen in the IPL.With Mark Wood’s absence, Naveen-ul-Haq will have a bigger role to play in LSG’scampaign.
Mark Wood to miss the final stages of IPL 2023 due to the birth of his daughter. (Reported by Espncricinfo).
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 25, 2023
He will be expected to lead the bowling attack and take crucial wickets inthe crucial stages of the game. The franchise will also look towards other bowlerslike Sandeep Sharma, Ankit Rajpoot, and K. Gowtham to step up and fill the void leftby Wood’s departure.
LSG is currently third on the IPL 2023 table, with four wins and three defeats. They have played some impressive cricket so far this season, and they will look to continue their good form in the coming games. With Naveen-ul-Haq in their ranks, LSG will be confident of making it to the playoffs and going all the way to lift the IPL trophy.