Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have been hit with a major blow as their star pacer, Mark Wood, will not be available for the final stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Wood will fly back England to be with his wife Sarah Lonsdale for the birth of their second child. The IPL 2023 playoffs are set to be played on May 23 and 26, with the final scheduled for May 28.
Wood had already missed the last two matches for LSG due to illness. However, the right-arm pacer looked quite impressive in the five matches he played this season, taking 11 wickets with an economy of 8.95. He made a sensational start to his IPL 2023 campaign, taking five wickets against Delhi Capitals (DC).
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆! 😲@MAWood33 gets two in two with his fiery pace 🔥🔥
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/086EqX92dA #TATAIPL#TATAIPL | #LSGvDC | @LucknowIPL pic.twitter.com/wuCshhzfMo
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2023
The report reveals that Wood’s wife is expected to give birth towards the end of May, and the couple wishes to be together at that time. Given this, it is highly unlikely that Wood will return to India after the birth of his second child. In his absence, LSG shall continue with Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who has been bowling well.
LSG are scheduled to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next match on April 28. In the previous game, they lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 7 runs. So far, Lucknow have won four out of their seven matches, putting them in a good position for the playoffs. However, the absence of Wood may prove to be a significant setback for the team’s chances.
