Saqib Mahmood ruled out of T20Is as Scott Currie earns maiden call-up

Saqib Mahmood has been ruled out of next week's T20I series against Ireland, and the upcoming white-ball tour of New Zealand in October, after sustaining a knee injury. His place for the Ireland trip has been taken by the Hampshire and Scotland seamer, Scott Currie.

Mahmood, 28, played in the second ODI against South Africa at Lord's earlier this month, going wicketless in England's five-run defeat, but had not played a part in either of the first two T20Is against the same opponents.

In a statement, the ECB confirmed that Mahmood was set to undergo "minor knee surgery" to correct the issue. It is the latest setback for a seamer who missed nearly two years of action with consecutive stress fractures of the back, but who appeared to have restated his credentials in recent months.

His recent England performances included nine wickets at 10.55 on the T20I tour of the Caribbean in November last year, as well as a starring role in the 3-0 ODI series win over the same opponents in June. Most recently, he was part of Oval Invincibles' three-peat-winning team in the Men's Hundred, claiming the final wicket of the final against Trent Rockets.

Currie's call-up, at the age of 24, comes 18 months after he featured in three ODIs for Scotland, in the World Cricket League Division 2 in Dubai. However, Scotland's failure to qualify for this winter's T20 World Cup would appear to have ended his ambitions of further representing the country of his father's birth.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on Friday, he explained the rationale behind those appearances, saying he hadn't wanted to keep turning down the chance to play international cricket "in the hope that maybe an England cap might come one day".

"There's plenty of experience to be had out there," Currie said. "I've obviously got [the possibility] that you can flip between the two, and if an England cap ever came then that would be a massive honour.

"But certainly, the pride of representing Scotland in those three games that I did, taking the field with my brother [Brad], knowing what it means to my old man and his side of the family, is something that always puts a smile on my face.

"Everyone's favorite word at the moment is the schedule, but it's tough with the way the schedule is to find those opportunities. Unfortunately, they didn't qualify for the T20 World Cup coming this winter. But yeah, I do remain in contact with them."

Currie's call-up comes less than 24 hours after he featured in T20 Finals Day for Hampshire. He claimed two wickets in both the semi-final victory over Northamptonshire and their eventual six-wicket defeat to Somerset, but his decisive role in the final was arguably a key dropped catch at deep midwicket to reprieve Sean Dickson, early in his unbeaten innings.

England are set to play three T20Is at Malahide, on September 17, 19 and 21. The squad, which will be missing several multi-format players ahead of this winter's Ashes campaign, will be captained for the first time by Jacob Bethell.