Birmingham, Aug 28 (IANS): England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has been ruled out of the remainder of The Hundred with an ankle injury, his franchise Birmingham Phoenix confirmed on Sunday.

Livingstone, who is one of the world's most explosive limited-overs batters, joins England white-ball captain Jos Buttler in being forced to exit the tournament early. The 29-year-old, who sustained the injury following the Phoenix's win over the Oval Invincibles, is currently being assessed by the ECB medical team.

"We're disappointed to lose Liam, not just for his performances on the pitch, but also his leadership within the group," said Craig Flindall, Birmingham Phoenix General Manager in a statement.

"While Liam will be a miss, it's an exciting opportunity for other players to show what they can do as we look to reach the final stages of the competition," he added.

Livingstone's absence is a significant blow to Phoenix's chances of reaching the knockout stages, as they have lost their leading run-scorer and a key allrounder ahead of two vital games against Originals and London Spirit.

Phoenix could go top of the table with a win against Manchester Originals on Sunday night but defeat would see Originals leapfrog them and leave them relying on results elsewhere in the final round of games.

Nottinghamshire batter Sol Budinger has been named as Livingstone's replacement in the squad. However, Phoenix are likely to bring one of Dan Mousley, Brett D' Oliveira, or Graeme van Buuren off the bench and into their side for Sunday's game.