Team India’s fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya would reportedly miss next two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup league matches as he is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during the match against Bangladesh in Pune.
Hosts India is scheduled to take on defending champions England on October 29 in Lucknow before facing Sri Lanka on November 2 in Mumbai.
As of now, Pandya is unlikely to join the India squad ahead of the game against England in Lucknow as reported earlier.
During the league game against Bangladesh, Hardik, 30, limped off the field after injuring his left ankle while fielding on his own bowling and did not participated in the remainder of the match in Pune.
Later, he missed the clash against New Zealand on October 22 in Dharamsala and was rushed to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for a treatment by a specialist doctor with the required injections.
According to an Indian Express report, Hardik will be available for India’s last two league games against South Africa (November 5), and Netherlands (November 12) as the medical team will wait for a few more days to let him recover fully at the NCA. The team management doesn’t want to take any unwanted risk as they want a fully fit Hardik for the semifinals of the marquee event.
With five wins in as many matches, hosts India are the only team to be still unbeaten in the ongoing showpiece event. The Rohit Sharma-led team will next take on England, who need a miracle with must win at least four and possibly all five of their remaining matches if they want to enter the semi-finals.
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