Gupill to replace injured Simmons in Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians' West Indian star Lendl Simmons was on Thursday ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), after just a game for the reigning champions and will be replaced by New Zealander Martin Guptill.

The opener has suffered a lower back injury, similar to the one which forced him to initially withdraw from the West Indies squad for the recent World Cup which concluded here two weeks ago.

Simmons made a quick recovery and was called up for the semi-final following injury to Andre Fletcher, and it was his superb, unbeaten 82 against India which put the Caribbean side in the final.

Simmons played in the IPL tournament opener against Rising Pune Supergiants last Saturday, making just eight in an emphatic nine-wicket defeat in Mumbai.

However, he was left out of Wednesday's game against Kolkata Knight Riders here which Mumbai won by six wickets.

The 31-year-old Simmons has been one of the most successful batsmen in the IPL, in his relatively short stint in the cash-rich T20 league.

He has garnered 942 runs in 22 matches at an average of 47, with one century and nine half-centuries.

Guptill went unsold during last February's draft.