Shin injury forces Joel Paris to withdraw from IPL

[[JUGRAJ SINGH]]

Australian paceman Joel Paris will miss the upcoming Indian Premier League due to a shin injury, the Western Australian Cricket Association announced on Thursday (April 7). Paris, who was bought by the Delhi Daredevils for INR 30 lakhs (AUD $63,000), sustained the shin injury late in Western Australia's Sheffield Shield campaign to put a sour ending on a watershed season for the 23-year-old.

The left-armer made his first-class debut for WA in November last year before playing two One-Day Internationals for Australia against India in January. His sole wicket in those matches was Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan in his second game. In six Shield matches, Paris starred with 35 wickets at 19.57 and had an astounding strike rate of wicket every 36.4 balls.

Following a long line of promising young Australian bowlers struck down by injuries, Paris is not letting the setback deter his confidence. "I knew at some point there would be a bit of a niggle or a setback like that, so I am not too fussed at all," Paris recently told ABC Perth. "I think it is a pretty good time to freshen up and have some time off."

Paris's withdrawal leaves the other Perth Scorcher pacer, Nathan Coulter-Nile, as the only Australian in the Delhi Daredevils playing squad. The Zaheer Khan-led Delhi side begin their IPL campaign against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Sunday (April 10).