Key New Zealand pacer doubtful for tri-series, Champions Trophy

New Zealand’s right-arm pacer Lockie Ferguson has become a doubt for the tri-nation ODI series against Pakistan and South Africa and the highly-anticipated ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 due to a ‘hamstring issue’.

The right-arm pacer sustained the injury while representing Desert Vipers during the ILT20 match against Dubai Capitals on Wednesday and as a result, could not bowl the final delivery of his spell.

“Just a little hamstring issue, unfortunate. Tough night; wish I could’ve bowled the last ball,” Ferguson said after the match.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead revealed that Ferguson underwent scans on Thursday and also that the team management is awaiting the results to decide on his participation in the tri-nation ODI series and the Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to run from February 19 to March 9.

“Lockie had a scan yesterday [Thursday] in the UAE. We’ve got the images here and [we are] waiting for our radiologist to give us a report on the extent of it,” Stead stated on Friday.

“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 2025,” he added.

New Zealand squad for Champions Trophy 2025 and tri-nation series:

Mitchell Santner (c) (Northern Districts), Michael Bracewell (Wellington Firebirds), Mark Chapman (Auckland Aces), Devon Conway (Wellington Firebirds), Lockie Ferguson (Auckland Aces), Matt Henry (Canterbury), Tom Latham (Canterbury), Daryl Mitchell (Canterbury), Will O’Rourke (Canterbury), Glenn Phillips (Otago Volts), Rachin Ravindra (Wellington Firebirds), Ben Sears (Wellington Firebirds), Nathan Smith (Wellington Firebirds), Kane Williamson (Northern Districts), Will Young (Central Stags).