Men’s Hundred knockouts will be further shorn of overseas quality

Matt Roller31-Aug-2022Tabraiz Shamsi will miss the men’s Hundred final to play for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL, in the latest blow to a competition that will be short on international quality in the knockout stages.Shamsi, the South African left-arm wristspinner, has taken five wickets in his six appearances in the Hundred this season, playing for Trent Rockets as a replacement for Rashid Khan.He was one of the few remaining overseas players in the men’s Hundred who is part of his country’s first-choice T20 side, but has left ahead of Guyana’s opening CPL game on Saturday and will miss the final at Lord’s as a result.Rockets will not be permitted to sign another replacement, as teams can only use players who were registered in the group stages during knockout games in the Hundred. Regulations were changed for this season after Tim David, a last-minute signing, made a game-changing intervention in the inaugural final.Marchant de Lange, the South African fast bowler, is available to fill Rockets’ third overseas slot alongside Colin Munro and Daniel Sams, but is yet to feature this season and Andy Flower may see Matthew Carter, the offspinner, as a more direct replacement for Shamsi.Related

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Shamsi’s departure continues a worrying trend for the competition as a whole, which has been shorn of its star names as the group stages have worn on. London Spirit, who will play in Friday night’s eliminator at the Ageas Bowl, will use only two of their permitted three overseas players in the knockout stages in Ben McDermott and Nathan Ellis.Kieron Pollard made six appearances for them before leaving for the CPL, Glenn Maxwell played four games before returning to Australia for an ODI series against Zimbabwe, and his replacement Josh Inglis made a single appearance before he was called up to Australia’s squad as injury cover.Spirit will play the winner of Manchester Originals’ game against Oval Invincibles in the eliminator, both of whom are without several of their first-choice overseas players.Originals have lost Wanindu Hasaranga (denied an NOC), Andre Russell (CPL) and Sean Abbott (Australia duty) at various stages and fielded Tristan Stubbs, Ashton Turner and Josh Little as their overseas trio in their last game against Birmingham Phoenix on Sunday.Invincibles, meanwhile, are without Sunil Narine (CPL) and Mohammad Hasnain (Pakistan duty) and picked Rilee Rossouw, Hilton Cartwright and Peter Haztoglou in their win against Spirit at Lord’s on Saturday.