Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in Australian rookie Matthew Kelly as a replacement for the injured South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje for the remainder of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kelly is a 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler, who was born in Durban, South Africa before moving to Perth aged four and represents Western Australia in domestic cricket.
Kelly has played 16 First-Class matches, five List A games, and 12 T20s so far, and hasn’t featured in past editions of IPL. He, however, has represented Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Nortje, 25, was forced to pull out of what would have been his maiden stint in the IPL after picking up a shoulder injury just ahead of the tournament. KKR also lost the services of Indian pair Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti before losing Nortje – all through injuries.
Nortje was bought by the Knight Riders at his base price of INR 10 lakh at the IPL auction in December last year.
Kelly is the latest replacement announced by the two-time IPL winners who earlier called up Sandeep Warrier and KC Cariappa in place of Mavi and Nagarkoti.
