World No. 2 shuttler and 2018 World Championships runner-up Shi Yuqi has pulled out of the upcoming 2019 BWF World Championships in Basel, Switzerland due to an ankle injury.

The 23-year-old injured his left ankle halfway through his match against Denmark's Anders Antonsen in the Indonesia Open Super 1000 last month, and suffered exits at both the Japan Open and the ongoing Thailand Open.

With world ranking points accrued at last year's World Championships expiring next week, Shi will drop down to third position, with Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei advancing to world No.2. Meanwhile, Japan's Kento Momota still keeps his world no.1 spot.

Huang Yuxiang will take Shi's place in Basel, joining Chen Long, Lin Dan, and Lu Guangzu in the men's singles during the championships from August 19 to 25.