NZ Dealt Blow as Lockie Ferguson Misses Final Two India T20s

New Delhi, October 29: New Zealand have received a significant blow as fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the remaining two T20 internationals against India due to injury.

Ferguson began feeling pain in his right calf during the second T20. Medical scans later detected a mild tear in the area, meaning a muscle strain or injury. He may require roughly one more week to recover before returning to play.

Matt Fisher has been drafted into New Zealand's T20 squad as a replacement for Ferguson.

Matt Henry was also affected during the second T20, when he suffered pain in his right quadriceps. After an examination and scan, he was found to have a light tear in the muscle. He will need one to two weeks to recover.

New Zealand's head coach Rob Walter spoke about the setbacks, saying the squad was deeply disappointed for Ferguson and Henry. He observed that injuries are part of international cricket, though missing games is never easy for a player.

Walter further explained that Henry was already set to skip the remaining T20 matches due to a demanding summer schedule. The team hopes he will contribute significantly in the ODI series. He also said Ferguson had been excited about playing before a sold-out crowd at Eden Park but remains fully committed to returning in the ODIs.

India, meanwhile, have built an unbeaten 3-0 lead in the five-match T20 series. Their performance in the third match was impressive, as they defeated New Zealand by six wickets. New Zealand managed 198 runs for three wickets in 20 overs. India overhauled the total in 13.2 overs, losing four wickets. Vaibhav Suryavanshi contributed 45 runs from 19 balls, while Abhishek Sharma smashed a stunning 113 runs from just 38 deliveries.