Liam Livingstone, an all-rounder for England, will miss the rest of The Hundred due to an ankle injury, his team Birmingham Phoenix announced on Sunday.
One of the most potent limited-overs batsmen in the world, Livingstone, joins England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler in having to leave the competition early. The 29-year-old is currently being examined by the ECB medical staff after suffering the injury following the Phoenix's victory over the Oval Invincibles.
In a statement, Birmingham Phoenix general manager Craig Flindall said, "We're disappointed to lose Liam, not just for his performances on the pitch, but also for his leadership inside the group."
While Liam will be out, it's an exciting chance for other players to demonstrate their abilities as we aim to advance to the competition's final stages, he continued.
Phoenix's hopes of making it to the next round have been significantly harmed by Livingstone's absence because they are now without their top run-scorer and essential all-around player ahead of two crucial matches against Originals and London Spirit.
With a top score of 119 and 173 runs scored in six games at an average of 34.60 and a strike rate of 145.37, Livingstone has had a productive season with the bat in the league. The team for England's seven-match T20I series against Pakistan in September and October will be chosen during this week's meeting of the selection committee.
Phoenix might go to the top of the standings with a victory over Manchester Originals on Sunday night, but a loss would allow Originals to overtake them and force Phoenix to rely on other teams' performances in the final round of games.
Livingstone's successor in the team is Nottinghamshire batsman Sol Budinger. On the other hand, Phoenix is probably going to start one of Dan Mousley, Brett D' Oliveira, or Graeme van Buuren on Sunday.
Despite now holding a game in hand over the teams above them, the Phoenix and Originals are ranked fourth and fifth in the table, respectively. With one game remaining, a Phoenix victory would put them in the top three in the playoff standings.