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New Zealand are fretting over Matt Henry's fitness ahead of the crucial Champions Trophy final clash against India which will be played at the Dubai International Cricket stadium on March 9, Sunday. New Zealand's preparations for the big match are being hampered by concerns over the fitness of Matt Henry. The pace bowler sustained a shoulder injury during their semi-final match against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, leaving his availability for the crucial final in doubt.
Mitchell Santner drops massive update on Matt Henry's injury
Addressing the situation, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner provided an update on Matt Henry's injury and availability for the Champions Trophy final against India. He said that the team management is closely monitoring Henry's condition and the final decision on his participation will be made following the completion of their training session, ensuring they have the most up-to-date assessment of his fitness.
"We'll be going across the road and training after this. Matt's going to have a bowl just to see how he is. I guess we'll make a call after that," Santner said in the pre-match press conference on March 8.
If Henry ends up missing the final, it will be a massive blow for the New Zealand as he is same bowler who disrupted India's batting during league-stage match with his fifer. However, New Zealand lost the match by 44 runs, but Henry left an impression on India batters' minds.
When discussing the semi-final encounter against Australia, Mitchell Santner offered insights into the nuanced conditions of the playing surface. He observed that the pitch exhibited slightly different characteristics compared to earlier matches in the tournament. Santner talked about the the importance of adaptability, highlighting that teams must be prepared to adjust their strategies and tactics based on the evolving conditions of the pitch.
"Even our pitch played slightly different to the semi-final wicket. So, I think it's just whatever you end up doing, you just have to do it well for a period of time. I think the Aussies were probably on track to score a few more runs. But they keep trying to take wickets through the middle. And then India were able to squeeze them back to that kind of 260. And then I guess the master of a chase, Kohli, kind of helped that out," he said.
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