MI name U-19 star Kwena Maphaka as replacement for Dilshan Madushanka; GT name Sandeep Warrier as Shami's replacement for IPL 2024 

The Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Gujarat Titans (GT) have named Kwena Maphaka and Sandeep Warrior as replacements for Dilshan Madushanka and Mohammed Shami, respectively, for IPL 2024.

IPL's website issued an official statement, which mentioned that the newly signed players had been acquired for a base price of INR 50 lakh each.

"Gujarat Titans (GT) named Sandeep Warrier as replacement for Mohd. Shami while Mumbai Indians (MI) added Kwena Maphaka to the squad as replacement for Dilshan Madushanka for the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024," the statement on iplt20.com read.

"Shami – the veteran Indian pacer – recently successfully underwent surgery for his right heel problem and is currently recovering. His replacement, Sandeep Warrier has so far played 5 IPL matches and will join GT for his base price of INR 50 Lac," the statement added.

"Meanwhile, Dilshan Madushanka was ruled out of TATA IPL 2024 due to an injury. Kwena Maphaka – the left-arm pacer – represented South Africa at the recently concluded ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament. He will join MI for his base price of INR 50 Lac," the statement concluded.

Mumbai Indians have roped in Kwena Maphaka in place of Dilshan Madushanka, who recently suffered a hamstring injury during the second ODI against Bangladesh. Madushanka is the second left-arm pacer that MI have lost due to injury ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, after Jason Behrendoff. The Australian pacer suffered a fracture while batting in the nets in Perth. He was replaced by Luke Wood in the MI squad.

Kwena Maphaka recently came into the spotlight following a scintillating campaign for the South African youth side at the 2024 U-19 World Cup on home soil. The youngster was the leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets in six matches, and the Player of the Tournament, as the Proteas made it to the semi-finals.

The left-arm pacer has maintained his rich vein of form post the World Cup by being among the wickets in the CSA T20 Challenge. Representing the Highveld Lions, he has taken seven wickets in four matches, and is the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition.

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Sandeep Warrier has represented KKR, RCB, and MI in the past

Sandeep Warrier, who was part of the Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy squad recently, made five appearances in the IPL between 2019 and 2021.

The right-arm pacer has been a reliable backup option for franchises in the past, and now joins the likes of Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, Josh Little, and Spencer Johnson in the Gujarat camp.

MI and GT will face each other to begin their respective IPL 2024 campaigns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24.