Star pacer added as cover for Matt Henry in New Zealand's ODI WC squad
New Zealand has enlisted a quickfire pacer as a replacement for Matt Henry in the 2023 ODI World Cup. This decision was prompted by Henry's recent hamstring injury sustained during the match against South Africa on November 1 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune.
Henry left the field during the middle of his sixth over, with James Neesham completing the remaining three balls. Currently, Henry awaits the results of his scans.
Kyle Jamieson is expected to arrive in Bangalore on Thursday, in time for the Black Caps' match against Babar Azam's Pakistan on November 4 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand, explained that injuries to Lockie Ferguson and Henry necessitated the inclusion of Jamieson, who initially served as cover for Tim Southee.
Kiwis trying to ensure Jamieson gets match-fit in case Matt Henry is unable to recover in time
“The severity of Matt’s injury, combined with a short turnaround to Pakistan, meant we couldn’t risk being a bowler down for Saturday,” Stead was quoted as saying.
“Matt’s been a world class performer for us in ODI cricket for the past two World Cup cycles so we’ve got our fingers crossed for the scan results later today,” he further added.
Stead also mentioned that New Zealand will make every effort to ensure that Jamieson is match-fit in case Henry is unable to recover in time for the Pakistan game.
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As of now, New Zealand holds the fourth position in the table with eight points and a net run rate of +0.484. Despite securing victories in four consecutive matches, the Black Caps are presently on a three-match losing streak.
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