Sussex fast bowler Tymal Mills has been called into England's squad for the T20 World Cup.
He replaces former Sussex seamer Reece Topley, who has withdrawn with an ankle injury just three days before the start of the campaign.
Topley rolled his left ankle after standing on a boundary advertisement cushion then landing awkwardly during some catching drills ahead of England’s warm-up win over Pakistan in Brisbane on Monday.
Scans confirmed significant ligament damage and the 6ft 7in left-arm seamer was withdrawn from the squad, with Mills promoted from his previous status as travelling reserve.
England also had Richard Gleeson on board, but he remains as cover while his Lancashire team-mate Luke Wood has been summoned to join the back-up group.
Mills, another left-armer who bowls quicker than Topley, has not played since August 10 because of a toe injury.
England open their campaign as they face Afghanistan in Perth on Saturday.
If rubberstamped by the ICC, it would be an unfortunate role reversal, with Mills an injury withdrawal during last year’s World Cup in the United Arab Emirates because of a thigh strain and replaced by Topley.
While Topley did not make any appearances then, he has gone on to become an increasingly dependable figure in 2022, having overcome multiple stress fractures in his back in recent years that threatened to derail his career.
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