Dubai, Feb 8 (PTI) Barely 11 days before their Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan, New Zealand’s leading pace bowler Lockie Ferguson has been rendered doubtful for the ODI tournament after suffering a hamstring injury during an ILT20 match in the UAE.
New Zealand will play their opening Group A match in the marquee event against Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19.
Coach Gary Stead confirmed the key bowler has undergone scans to know the extent of the injury and the preceding tri-series that also involves South Africa.
“Lockie had a scan yesterday (Thursday) in the UAE,” Stead was quoted as saying by ICC ahead of the start of the tri-series match against Pakistan in Lahore on Saturday.
“We’ve got the images here and (we are) waiting for our radiologist to give us a report on the extent of it,” said Stead.
Stead said a call on Ferguson’s replacement can be taken after the advice of the specialists.
“Small hamstring injury, by the look of it, so we’re just waiting on a timeline of advice around that before we make a decision on whether Lockie travels here (Pakistan) or whether we do have to replace him for the Champions Trophy,” added Stead.
Ferguson, 33, was unable to bowl the final delivery of his spell while playing for the Desert Vipers in the T20 league, and left the field due to the injury.
He also missed the Vipers’ next match, an Eliminator, against the Sharjah Warriors.
“Just a little hamstring issue, unfortunate. Tough night; wish I could’ve bowled the last ball,” Ferguson, who has played 65 ODIs and is just one wicket shy of completing a century of scalps, had said after the match on Wednesday. PTI AM AM AT AT
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