New Zealand, plagued by injuries, have called upon fast bowler Kyle Jamieson to reinforce their World Cup squad, with doubts surrounding pacer Matt Henry's availability for the crucial match against Pakistan.
The 28-year-old, standing at a towering six feet eight inches, will join the squad in Bengaluru ahead of their upcoming match against Pakistan on Saturday.
New Zealand face a challenging situation as the tournament progresses, with five of their players, including two pacers, dealing with injuries. Regular captain Kane Williamson (thumb), Lockie Ferguson (achilles), and Mark Chapman (calf) were already nursing injuries, and Henry and James Neesham were added to the list on Wednesday, with Henry sustaining a hamstring injury.
With Matt Henry awaiting scan results for his right hamstring, New Zealand couldn't afford to risk going into the Pakistan match with one less bowler, prompting them to bring in Kyle Jamieson. Jamieson had previously been with the squad as a cover for Tim Southee.
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Gary Stead, the head coach, mentioned, "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 also expressed hope for Henry's scan results, as he's been a world-class performer for the team in ODI cricket over the past two World Cup cycles. Jamieson, who was making his way to India, was well-prepared to step in.
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"Kyle's on his way over as we speak, and we look forward to welcoming him back into the group. He'll likely train with us on Friday with a mind to being available for Saturday’s game," Stead said, adding that Kyle had trained with the team earlier in the tournament for two full weeks and had played a Plunket Shield match. Therefore, they are confident he can seamlessly integrate into the team.
New Zealand has faced three consecutive losses after securing four wins, leaving them with 8 points in the tournament standings. Their upcoming matches include Pakistan in Bengaluru and Sri Lanka on November 9.