Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas signed by Rajasthan Royals

The Rajasthan Royals have signed West Indies stars Evin Lewis and Oshane Thomas for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

With England players Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler all unavailable for the restart of the IPL on 15 October in UAE and Oman, the Royals have brought in the West Indian duo.

Lewis, who is averaging 32.66 in three innings for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the current Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, is set for his second stint in the IPL.

The 29-year-old played for the Mumbai Indians during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Thomas has taken four wickets in his three games with the Barbados Royals at an economy rate of 5.83

He has been generating pace and bounce from the Warner Park pitch and castled Chris Gayle with a 142 KMP ball in the current tournament.

Thomas played for the Rajasthan Royals in 2019, taking five wickets in four games at an economy rate of 7.90.

The Royals Sports Group (EM Sporting Holdings Ltd) owns both the Rajasthan Royals and the Barbados Royals.

The Group acquired a majority stake in the Barbados franchise in July 2021.

Thomas is the second Barbados Royals player to be signed for the Rajasthan team for the IPL restart.

Glenn Phillips was signed by Rajasthan earlier this year.

The IPL was halted in May with 31 matches still to play after the rise in coronavirus cases among players and support staff.

With the restart coming closer, the Rajasthan franchise was seeking replacements for the England trio who would not be available for the restart.

Archer has suffered an elbow fracture and will be out for the rest of the year.

Buttler is out due to the impending birth of his second child, while Stokes has taken an indefinite break from the game over mental health concerns.

The fifth-placed Rajasthan Royals resume their quest for a place in the IPL playoffs on 21 September against Nicholas Pooran's Punjab Kings.

The Barbados Royals take on the Jamaica Tallawahs on Tuesday, while St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will play the Tallawahs on Wednesday.