The trump card for New Zealand and the leading run-scorer for them in the last T20 series against Pakistan, Martin Guptill has been ruled out of the forthcoming series against the green shirts.
Guptill missed out from New Zealand’s T20 and ODI squad against Green Shirts owing to a left calf strain.
The aggressive opening batsman was injured in a training session ahead of a first-class game this week. Doctors have advised him to rest for six weeks.
The 32-year old opener was instrumental in New Zealand’s ODI series win against Pakistan in January 2018 and was among the top scorers in the T20 series that Pakistan won.
Unfortunately for Martin, it will take him some time to get over this injury,” selector Gavin Larsen said. “And, with a long summer ahead, we need to make sure we minimize the risk of him repeating it.”
He was part of New Zealand’s both white ball squads. It would be a massive blow to Kiwis’ UAE plans against Pakistan as Guptill has been in consistent form.
He scored a 49-ball hundred against Australia in a home T20I in February and smashed a T20 ton and two half-centuries in a recent domestic tournament.
The Kiwis are yet to announce his replacement.
“Gary Stead and I will work through the possible replacement options,” Larsen said. “We now have three spots to fill in the T20 and one-day squads.”
New Zealand is scheduled to play three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests starting from October 31, in the United Arab Emirates.