West Indies pace sensation Shamar Joseph's eagerly anticipated IPL debut looks to be delayed once again, as he is unlikely to be included in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lineup for the 11th game of the ongoing IPL 2024 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
The LSG vs PBKS match is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 30, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Ahead of the match, LSG head coach Justin Langer expressed doubts about Joseph's inclusion in the playing XI for the home match against PBKS.
Notably, Joseph earned his maiden IPL contract following his instrumental role in the West Indies' historic Test win against Australia at the Gabba. He was bought in after Mark Wood withdrew from the IPL 2024 season.
With Langer also ruling out Joseph's debut against PBKS, fans will have to wait a little longer to witness the promising West Indian pacer in action in the ongoing IPL 2024.
Justin Langer said at the pre-match press conference: “Shamar Joseph is a very talented player. I admire his spirit, athleticism, and the way he approaches the game. He’s young and working hard to earn a spot. However, I don’t think he’ll be playing tomorrow.”
Langer further revealed that LSG will be going with three overseas batters and one bowler with Naveen-ul-Haq getting the nod against PBKS in Lucknow.
The coach explained, “We’ll stick to our plan of playing three overseas batsmen and one overseas bowler. Naveen-ul-Haq bowled well in the first game, and we expect another strong performance from him tomorrow.”
He signed off by saying, “So, for the match against Punjab, we’ll field three overseas batsmen -- Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, and Marcus Stoinis -- and Naveen as our specialist overseas bowler.”
(With India Today Inputs)
