Daryl Mitchell, a top batter for New Zealand, will travel to Australia for the ICC T20 World Cup with the rest of the team next week after sustaining a hairline fracture on his right index finger during a practise session prior to the current Tri-series between Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the hosts.
Following the injury, Mitchell's participation in the upcoming championship tournament in Australia had been questioned, but head coach Gary Stead said that while the batter might miss the opening Super 12 game against Trans-Tasman rivals Australia, he should be available for the remainder of the competition.
The good news is that Daryl Mitchell will tour with us to the World Cup, as we have decided, Stead was quoted as saying by ICC on Monday.
"We are still hopeful that Daryl will be okay for the first game, but more realistically, the second game when we consider the value he adds to the squad and the expected time frame. There are still four pool games left, and perhaps the semifinal and championship games will follow "Added he.
"Daryl has demonstrated his worth to this club, and we believe our choice was the right one."
The fact that Mitchell, a right-hander, smashed 208 runs in seven innings with a strike rate of more than 140 was one of the major factors in the Black Caps reaching the T20 World Cup final in the UAE last year.
The highlight of the match was his unbroken 72 from just 47 deliveries against England in the semifinal in Abu Dhabi. The knock propelled New Zealand into the final against their trans-Tasman foe.
New Zealand's second match of the competition will be against Afghanistan in Melbourne on October 26 after they play Australia in Sydney to open their campaign. The Black Caps are also keeping an eye on Lockie Ferguson, their important pacemaker, who has an abdominal issue. They remain optimistic that Ferguson will be ready to play when the tournament gets underway.
Ferguson, like Mitchell, will not be at home for the Tri-Series.