Reece Topley, a left-arm fast bowler for England, was on Wednesday declared ineligible for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup due to left ankle ligament damage. The Event Technical Committee has approved the promotion of Tymal Mills from a travelling reserve to the starting lineup as a like-to-like substitute for Topley.
According to a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Topley hurt himself during a fielding practise before England's tournament-opening match against Pakistan on Monday in Brisbane.
The ankle injury was discovered during the scan on Tuesday in Perth, dealing England a major setback before the competition even started. Topley, 28, had been a valuable asset for England in both the power-play and the death overs this year, picking up 17 wickets at an average of 28.00 in 16 T20Is.
During the Men's T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, Mills was recalled to the England T20I side and played in four games while taking seven wickets at an economy rate of eight and an average of 15.42.
A thigh injury terminated his tournament participation, and Topley was selected to take his spot in the 15-man England squad. Although he hasn't played any competitive cricket since August 10 due to a toe injury, Mills has significant experience playing in Australian conditions, having represented Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, and Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Luke Wood, a pacer, has been added as a travelling reserve now that Mills has been selected for the starting lineup. Wood will eventually travel to Australia with the England team, according to the ECB. The 2010 World T20 Men's Champions, England, will face Afghanistan in their opening Super 12 encounter on Saturday in Perth.