LONDON: England batsman Joe Root is a major doubt for the World Twenty20 tournament this month after fracturing his thumb during England’s one-day series clincher in the West Indies.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Root was returning home from the Caribbean.
“Joe Root has a fractured thumb and is returning home to see a specialist,” the ECB said on Twitter. “Ruled out of West Indies T20’s, World T20 decision not made yet.”
The World Twenty20 begins in Bangladesh on March 16.
England’s first match is against New Zealand on March 22 followed by games against Sri Lanka, South Africa and one of the minor nations.
Root played all three one-dayers against West Indies, scoring his first international limited-overs century in the final match to help England clinch the series 2-1 despite being struck on the thumb by a delivery from Ravi Rampaul early in his knock.
England are scheduled to play three Twenty20 internationals against West Indies starting on Sunday in Barbados.
West Indies have recalled hard-hitting opening batsman Chris Gayle for the T20 series after he missed the one-dayers.
Australia have momentum to win maiden T20 title: Clarke
SYDNEY: The momentum Australia have gained from the recent hard-fought win against South Africa will carry the team to their maiden World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh, test captain Michael Clarke said yesterday.
Clarke, who does not play the shortest format, returned to Australia on Friday after leading his team to a gruelling 2-1 series victory against top-ranked test side South Africa.
His colleagues David Warner, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin will, however, be the key players in the T20 team to be led by George Bailey during the tournament being held later this month.
Asked if Australia can win the tournament, Clarke said: “I think they can. I think they’ll be led extremely well by George. He’s captained the Twenty20 team exceptionally well for a while now. I’m really confident they’ll win the Twenty20 World Cup.”
The World T20 will feature 16 teams and starts on March 16 with the final on April 6.
Injury rules Steyn out of two Australia T20 contests
CAPE TOWN: A hamstring injury will keep South African fast bowler Dale Steyn of out of the first two Twenty20 internationals against Australia in the next week, Cricket South Africa said.
Steyn’s bowling in the recently concluded third and final Test against Australia in Cape Town was affected by the strain as the tourists went on the win the match and the series.
He will return for the last of three-match series in Pretoria next Friday and is still earmarked to compete in the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh later this month.
South Africa also have doubts over the fitness of Wayne Parnell and Beuran Hendricks for the first game of the T20 series against the Australians in Port Elizabeth tomorrow.
Both players will undergo fitness tests today to determine their availability, officials said.AGENCIES
