NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans said Wednesday that they have recruited Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz as a substitute for England batsman Jason Roy in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins later this month.

Gurbaz, a wicketkeeper-batsman, has appeared in 20 T20 internationals and scored 534 runs at 138.

The Titans, who are making their IPL debut this season alongside the Lucknow Super Giants, selected the Afghan player at his base price of $66,000, according to a press statement from the franchise.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 20, will join Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad as the third Afghanistan player to play for the franchise, according to the statement.

The Titans had been looking for a replacement when Roy withdrew from the IPL last month, citing the difficulties of remaining in the tournament’s final eight.

The IPL will take place over 65 days in four sites in the western state of Maharashtra, with 70 regular matches and four playoffs.

Roy, who has taken an indefinite vacation from cricket, was purchased by Titans for $266,000 at the IPL auction last month.

On March 28, the Gujarat Titans will play the Lucknow Super Giants in their debut IPL match in Mumbai.

The profitable IPL is widely recognised as the most valuable cricket event in the world.

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