New Zealand has suffered a big blow in the form of Devon Conway’s injury. The left-hander batted well in the semi-final and was a key figure in their road to the final. However, he damaged his right hand in frustration after losing his wicket to Liam Livingstone on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old struck his bat right after getting dismissed in the 14th over. As a result, he has sustained an injury in the fifth metacarpal of his right hand. Conway had added 46 runs to the cause before Jos Buttler stumped him off Livingstone’s bowling.
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The Kiwis have suffered a double whammy here, as he will not only miss the final but is also ruled out for the subsequent series against India. NZ head coach Gary Stead has confirmed that they will not be calling for a replacement for the T20I WC final or the T20I series against India. However, they are looking for a stand-in wicketkeeper for the Test series.
“He’s absolutely gutted to be ruled out like this at this time. Devon is hugely passionate about playing for the Black Caps, and no one is more disappointed at the moment than he is,”
Stead revealed that Conway was heartbroken after the injury.
After Conway perished in the 14th over, he slammed his bat in anger. Unfortunately, the bat was caught between the glove padding. Stead also admitted that Conway’s reaction after the dismissal was a “pretty innocuous reactionary incident” and believes that while it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, a certain amount of bad luck was involved in the injury that followed.
New Zealand need not worry too much about finding a replacement for Devon Conway for the near future. Tim Seifert is a more than capable stand-in wicketkeeper for the Kiwis, and is expected to take Conway’s place in the team for the final.
New Zealand will encounter bitter rivals Australia in the showpiece final of the T20I World Cup in Dubai on Sunday. The men in black will be vying for their first-ever T20I World Cup triumph.
