Lahore, Feb 7 (IANS) New Zealand’s preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have hit a potential roadblock, with fast bowler Lockie Ferguson’s availability in doubt due to a hamstring injury sustained during the ongoing ILT20 in the UAE.
The experienced speedster, who was leading the Desert Vipers in the tournament, left the field before completing his spell in the first qualifier against Dubai Capitals on Wednesday, raising concerns about his fitness ahead of the crucial international assignment.
Following the injury, Ferguson underwent a scan on Thursday to assess the severity of the problem. New Zealand head coach Gary Stead confirmed that the team was awaiting the radiologist’s report before making a decision on Ferguson’s participation in the tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy.
“Lockie had a scan yesterday [Thursday] in the UAE,” Stead said on the eve of tri-series opener. “We’ve got the images here and [we are] waiting for our radiologist to give us a report on the extent of it. 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.”
Ferguson, who is the most experienced fast bowler in New Zealand’s Champions Trophy squad, plays a key role in the Black Caps’ attack, particularly on subcontinent pitches. His absence would leave a significant void in the squad, especially with fellow quick Ben Sears still recovering from knee surgery. Sears, who has played 17 T20Is and one Test, is yet to make his ODI debut, making Ferguson’s injury a serious concern for the Kiwis.
To cover for Ferguson’s injury, New Zealand had already included seamer Jacob Duffy in the squad as a standby. However, with less than two weeks before their opening match in the Champions Trophy against Pakistan on February 19 in Karachi, the team management may be forced to name a replacement if Ferguson is unable to recover in time.
New Zealand is set to play a tri-series involving Pakistan and South Africa, beginning on Saturday, as part of their preparations for the Champions Trophy. The team will also play a day match against South Africa in Lahore on February 10, with the remaining games scheduled as day-night fixtures.
With player fitness a priority, Stead emphasised that the team would carefully manage the bowlers’ workloads.
“It will depend on how people shape up, especially the bowlers, after this first game and what their loads are like and then what the conditions are like as well,” he said. “It’s not quite as hot as you think it would be in Asia. It still gets pretty cold here in the evenings, but if you bowl in the heat of the day, it might take more out of the bowlers. So, we will just manage that and be smart around it, understanding that the big tournament is the Champions Trophy.”
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Ferguson, New Zealand has received a boost with the return of skipper Kane Williamson and top-order batter Devon Conway. Both players have rejoined the squad in Lahore after completing their franchise commitments with Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) and Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in the SA20 League.
Their presence will be vital as New Zealand fine-tunes its squad ahead of the marquee ICC event.
While all eight participating teams have already announced their Champions Trophy squads, the ICC allows changes until February 12. If Ferguson’s injury is deemed serious, New Zealand could be forced to bring in a replacement before the deadline.
–IANS
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