Maharaj misses out on Middlesex stint as tendon rupture threatens World Cup dreams

Keshav Maharaj's serious Achilles tendon injury has predictably cost him his county stint with Middlesex.

The first division county, based at Lord's in London, confirmed on its website that Maharaj's injury was severe enough for him to be ruled out for the entire season.

Maharaj sustained the injury on the stroke of lunch on the fourth day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers on Saturday when he was in the process of celebrating Kyle Mayers' wicket

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The left-arm spinner had Mayers trapped leg before, but the initial appeal was turned down by umpire Paul Reiffel.

Maharaj gained the wicket on review but collapsed in a heap and was in excruciating pain.

He returned to join the team after the game had ended before tea, but he had gone for an MRI scan that confirmed the extent of the injury and was also in a moon boot.

The freak injury sustained by Maharaj could also jeopardise his hopes of participating in the 50-over World Cup in India in October, with the nature of the injury usually requiring at least six months of recovery time.

Maharaj was booked in to see a surgeon on Monday, from where a path and length of recovery were going to be mapped out.

Middlesex's director of cricket, Alan Coleman, said they were disappointed to be missing out on Maharaj's services, but they wished him a speedy recovery.

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"We are naturally extremely disappointed that Keshav will not be joining Middlesex this year after sustaining this freak injury," Coleman said.

"We are saddened to hear that he will face a significant absence from playing. For us to lose Kesh so close to