New Zealand head coach Gary Stead provided an update on star batter Rachin Ravindra, revealing that he has yet to fully recover from an injury sustained during the opening match against Pakistan in the ongoing tri-nation series.
Ravindra suffered a blow to the forehead while attempting a catch in the 38th over and experienced headaches for several days.
He was forced off the field after the incident and missed New Zealand's subsequent victory over South Africa, which secured their spot in the final in Karachi on Friday.
Although Ravindra returned to the nets on Thursday night, he remains unfit for selection. Stead shared that Ravindra is progressing well, following head injury assessment protocols.
"The pleasing thing is that he's progressing well. We're following head injury assessment protocols at the moment," Stead said. "He's had a headache for a few days, but that's subsiding, which is really good news.
He hit a few balls tonight for the first time, which is encouraging, but there are still a few more steps before he can be cleared to play," he added.
Stead also provided an update on veteran pacer Lockie Ferguson, who sustained a hamstring injury during the ILT20. "Lockie's had a couple of bowling sessions since arriving here.
He increased the intensity a bit more tonight," Stead said. "We're pleased with his progress, and we aim to have him play in one of the next two games. If any player has minor niggles, we'll take a cautious approach, especially with the Champions Trophy just around the corner."
New Zealand secured their place in the tri-nation series final after back-to-back victories over the hosts and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Pakistan made a strong comeback, defeating South Africa while chasing 352 runs, thanks to centuries from skipper Mohammad Rizwan and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha.
After the tri-nation series concludes, New Zealand will play a warm-up match against Afghanistan in Karachi on Sunday before beginning their Champions Trophy campaign against hosts Pakistan on February 19.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ