New Zealand head coach Gary Stead opened up on the injury concerns of the star players Rachin Ravindra and Lockie Ferguson ahead of the ODI tri-series final against Pakistan in Karachi on Friday. The Kiwis are building up for the Champions Trophy which is scheduled to start from February 19 in Pakistan. Both teams will face each other in the tournament's opener clash at the same venue.
Rachin and Ferguson's recent injury raised a lot of concerns about their participation in the mega event. The 33-year-old pace bowler encountered a hamstring injury during an ILT20 match in the UAE on Wednesday while playing for Desert Vipers, forcing him to leave the field before completing his final delivery. On the other hand, the star all-rounder got hit by a ball while featuring in the opener clash of the tri-nation series.
Speaking on Ravindra's condition, Stead stated: "Rachin obviously got that nasty blow in Lahore to the forehead. The pleasing thing is he's progressing well. So, we are following HIA protocols at the moment. 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 good. But it's still a few more steps for him to go through before he would be considered fit for play.
"On Ferguson’s progress, Stead added: "And Lockie has been out there. He has had a couple of bowls since he has been here, so the intensity was up a little bit more tonight. Pleased with how he's tracking and certainly will look to have him playing in one of the next two games."
After finishing the tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa, New Zealand will face Afghanistan as their warm-up game on February 16 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.