Champions Trophy: Lockie Ferguson's Status Uncertain Following Hamstring Injury in ILT20

Lahore, Feb 7 (NationPress) New Zealand’s journey towards the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 faces a significant setback, as the availability of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is in jeopardy due to a hamstring injury incurred during the ongoing ILT20 in the UAE.

The seasoned speedster, who has been captaining the Desert Vipers in the tournament, exited the field before completing his spell in the first qualifier against Dubai Capitals on Wednesday, sparking worries about his fitness ahead of this crucial international event.

After the injury, Ferguson underwent a scan on Thursday to evaluate the seriousness of the issue. New Zealand's head coach Gary Stead confirmed that the team is awaiting the radiologist’s report before making a determination regarding Ferguson’s participation in the tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy.

Stead mentioned, “Lockie had a scan yesterday [Thursday] in the UAE. We’ve got the images here and [we are] waiting for our radiologist to provide us with a report on the extent of it. It appears to be a small hamstring injury, so we are just awaiting a timeline of advice on that before we decide whether Lockie travels here [Pakistan] or if we need to find a replacement for the Champions Trophy.”

Ferguson, being the most experienced fast bowler in New Zealand’s Champions Trophy lineup, plays a critical role in the Black Caps’ attack, especially on subcontinent pitches. His absence would create a considerable gap in the squad, particularly with fellow quick Ben Sears still in recovery from knee surgery. Sears, who has participated in 17 T20Is and one Test, has yet to make his ODI debut, making Ferguson’s injury a significant concern for the Kiwis.

In anticipation of Ferguson’s injury, New Zealand has already included seamer Jacob Duffy in the squad as a standby. However, with less than two weeks remaining before their opening match in the Champions Trophy against Pakistan on February 19 in Karachi, the team management may need to name a replacement if Ferguson doesn’t recover swiftly.

New Zealand is set to embark on a tri-series featuring Pakistan and South Africa, starting Saturday, as part of their preparations for the Champions Trophy. The team will also compete in a day match against South Africa in Lahore on February 10, with the remaining games scheduled as day-night fixtures.

With player fitness being paramount, Stead stressed the need to manage the bowlers' workloads carefully.

“It will depend on how players perform, especially the bowlers, after this first match and what their loads are like, along with the conditions,” he noted. “It’s not as hot as one might expect in Asia. The evenings can still be quite cool, but bowling in the daytime heat might take a toll on the bowlers. Therefore, we will manage that wisely, recognizing that the big tournament is the Champions Trophy.”

Amid the uncertainty surrounding Ferguson, New Zealand has received a boost with the return of skipper Kane Williamson and top-order batter Devon Conway. Both players have rejoined the squad in Lahore after fulfilling their franchise commitments with Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) and Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in the SA20 League.

Their presence will be crucial as New Zealand fine-tunes its squad ahead of the marquee ICC event.

While all eight participating teams have announced their Champions Trophy squads, the ICC permits changes until February 12. If Ferguson’s injury is assessed as severe, New Zealand may need to secure a replacement before the deadline.