KKR vs MI: Big Blow for KKR! Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes break from IPL 2024 ahead of the Playoffs

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are in great form, and they have almost booked their place in the IPL 2024 playoffs courtesy of their remarkable performance in the tournament lately.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are currently leading the IPL 2024 points table with 16 points from 11 games. Amidst KKR’s dominance in this IPL season, Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was worried about his mother’s illness, and he had to leave the Kolkata camp midway.

Taking to his social media handles, Gurbaz revealed that he is currently not with the KKR camp. Gurbaz revealed that he flew back to Afghanistan to take care of her ill mother. However, the wicketkeeper-batter’s mother is now feeling well, and he is expected to rejoin the KKR camp soon.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes a short break from the IPL 2024

Notably, KKR’s next game in the ongoing IPL 2024 is against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Eden Gardens on May 11 and the opener is expected to join the camp before this clash and would hope to get some game time in the tournament.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz said in a statement on X: “After a short break from IPL due to my mother’s illness, i will join my kkr family very soon, thanks for all the messages and prayers, alhumdulillah she is feeling better now thanks.”

After a short break from IPL due to my mother’s illness, i will join my kkr family very soon, thanks for all the messages and prayers, alhumdulillah she is feeling better now thanks 🙏❤️

— Rahmanullah Gurbaz (@RGurbaz_21) May 7, 2024

Meanwhile, the IPL 2024 playoffs will kick off on May 21, and KKR opener Phil Salt is likely to miss the knockout matches this season due to his national commitments with the England cricket team.

Actually, England is all set to host Pakistan in a four-match T20I series on May 22, and the ECB has asked all the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup-bound players to attend the home series.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is likely to get a chance in the IPL 2024 playoffs

This means KKR will be without Salt during the knockouts of the ongoing IPL 2024, and Gurbaz can be the perfect replacement for the franchise, given his impressive strike rate of 138.01 in 55 T20Is.

The Afghan keeper has not played a single match this season. However, Gurbaz had scored 227 runs in 7 matches for the Gujarat Titans at a strike rate of 133.53 last year in the IPL.

The Men in Purple and Gold have three league matches left to play in the ongoing IPL 2024: against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on May 11, the Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 13, and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 19.

The IPL 2024 playoffs will begin with the elimination on May 22 in Ahmedabad, followed by Qualifier 2 on May 24 in Chennai, and the final on May 26 in the same venue at Chepauk Stadium.

On the other hand, Gurbaz also found a place in Afghanistan’s preliminary squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1 in the USA and West Indies, and a few games in the ongoing IPL 2024 would be great for the wicketkeeper to get into the groove for the mega event.

Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 Squad:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik. Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Safi.