T20 World Cup 2021 | Devon Conway ruled out from T20 WC final with hand injury

11/12/2021

New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batsman Devon Conway has been ruled out of the ongoing T20 World Cup final and upcoming tour of India with a broken right hand. The New Zealand batsman had sustained the injury when he struck his bat immediately after being dismissed in the semifinal against England.

Devon Conway, who featured in six matches for New Zeland in the going T20 World Cup has been ruled out from the summit clash against Australia on Sunday, November 14 in Dubai. The wicket-keeper batsman, who was frustrated after his dismissal against England in the sem-final in Abu Dhabi, hit his own bat and sustained a hand injury. Conway was under medical observation after the incident, and scans confirmed that he had broken the fifth metacarpal in his right hand.

Conway, who scored 129 runs from six matches at an average of 21.5 in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 will also miss New Zealand’s upcoming T20I series against India, which is scheduled to begin on November 17. Conway played a crucial knock against England in the semi-final as he scored 46 off 38 balls in a tense chase of 167. Conway’s injury will be a second major blow for New Zealand as they have already lost the services of Lockie Ferguson, who was ruled of the tournament due to a calf tear.

New Zealand head coach, Gary Stead reckoned that it is unfortunate to miss the wicket-keeper batsman during the final stage of the tournament. He further added that New Zealand won't bring in a replacement for the T20 World Cup final and the India T20Is.

"He's absolutely gutted to be ruled out like this at this time. Devon is hugely passionate about playing for the BLACKCAPS and no one is more disappointed at the moment than he is - so we're really trying to rally around him,” head coach Gary Stead said in an NZC release.

"It looked a pretty innocuous reactionary incident on the field, but the blow obviously caught the bat between the glove padding, and while it's not the smartest thing he's done, there's certainly an element of bad luck in the injury.

"Devon is a great team-man and a very popular member of the side so we're all feeling for him. Due to the timelines we won't be bringing in a replacement player for this World Cup or next week's T20 series against India, but are working through our options for the Test series later this month," he added.

Conway was named in New Zealand's 15-member squad for the India tour which consists of three T20Is and two Tests.