MUMBAI, India, CMC – West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph will have his first stint of Indian Premier League action after being called up by Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement for New Zealander Adam Milne.
The 22-year-old will provide a massive boost for the three-time champions whose bowling stocks have been ravaged by injury, with ace Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga also forced to sit out the early stages of the tournament.
Joseph has been in excellent form at domestic and international level in recent months, taking 10 wickets in the three-Test series against England last month and picking up 31 for Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the first class competition.
The Antiguan said the latest development was a dream come true.
“Playing in the IPL is something I always wanted to do for the experience. I’m happy to be here now,” he tweeted on his arrival here.
Joseph is highly regarded in the Caribbean, making his Test debut as a 19-year-old just months after helping to guide West Indies Under-19s to the capture of the ICC title in Bangladesh.
He joins a plethora of young West Indies players already plying their trade in the IPL, with the likes of Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Oshane Thomas and Sherfane Rutherford all campaigning in the lucrative Twenty20 league.
West Indies T20 star, Kieron Pollard, is a fixture in the Mumbai line-up.