New Zealand pacer Matt Henry suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s match against South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Wednesday, November 1. The 31-year-old was forced to leave the field in the middle of his sixth over and was ruled out of the match. Henry had been in red-hot form in the ongoing World Cup, picking up at least one wicket in each of New Zealand’s first six matches.
However, he was unable to pick up any wickets in his first six overs against South Africa, and he suffered the injury while bowling the third delivery of his sixth over. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) issued a statement confirming the injury, stating that Henry had felt tightness in his right hamstring and had returned to the pavilion as a precautionary measure. NZC also stated that Henry would not be returning to the field.
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Henry’s injury is a major blow to New Zealand, as he has been one of their most important bowlers in the tournament. His ability to bowl consistently over 140kmph has made him a valuable asset to the team, and he will be missed in the upcoming matches. It is still too early to say how long Henry will be out of action, but it is likely that he will miss at least a few matches.
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NZC will be monitoring his progress closely and will provide an update on his condition in due course. Henry’s injury is a major setback for New Zealand, but they still have enough depth in their bowling attack to cope with his absence. Trent Boult, Tim Southee, and Adam Milne are all world-class bowlers, and they will be looking to step up in Henry’s absence.
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New Zealand will also need to be careful with their workload management, as they have a number of important matches coming up. They will need to ensure that their bowlers are not overworked and that they are fresh for the big games. Overall, Henry’s injury is a blow for New Zealand, but it is not necessarily fatal. They have enough quality in their squad to cope with his absence, and they will be hoping that he makes a speedy recovery.
Matt Henry is currently off the field in Pune after feeling tightness in his right hamstring during his 6th over. #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/DGT26MqBYh
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 1, 2023
