Pakistan opening batsman Usman Khan has been excluded from the second ODI against New Zealand following a hamstring injury he picked while playing in the first match of the series at Napier's McLean Park on Friday. The 29-year-old, who played his first ODI in the same game, injured his hamstring while fielding.

An MRI scan conducted post-match confirmed a low-grade tear, ruling him out of the important second ODI, which will be played on Wednesday, April 2, at Seddon Park, Hamilton.

A Promising Debut Cut Short
Usman was impressive in his first outing in ODIs, with a rapid-fire 39 off 33 balls at the top of the order. He was only added to Pakistan's side for this series late on, having got his chance after an impressive T20I series against New Zealand. His promising beginning has been cut short by this premature injury.

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Series Overview
New Zealand is currently leading the three-match series 1-0, following a dominant 73-run win in the first ODI. The hosts piled up a mammoth total of 344/9, with a blistering century by Mark Chapman. Even a gritty 78 off 83 balls by Pakistan captain Babar Azam could not save the day for the visitors, who were bowled out for 271 in 44.1 overs.

Remaining Fixtures
With Usman Khan ruled out, Pakistan has a selection headache as they approach the second ODI. The final of the series is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at Bay Oval.

The injury to Usman Khan is the latest setback for Pakistan as they try to come back and keep the series alive against a strong New Zealand team.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have recruited Chetan Sakariya as a replacement for Umran Malik for the next IPL 2025 season. Umran, who is famous for his express pace, has been injured and hence KKR was left with no choice but to find a substitute.

Chetan Sakariya's IPL and International Experience

Sakariya, a left-arm medium pacer, has played 19 IPL games before, taking 20 wickets. He has also played one ODI and two T20Is for India, demonstrating his potential to play at the top level.

KKR acquired Sakariya for INR 75 lakh, which brought solidity to their bowling department as they get ready for the upcoming season.

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What This Means for KKR

With the injury of Umran Malik as a setback, Sakariya's addition brings KKR an experienced left-arm pacer capable of swinging the ball and bowl in various parts of the match. His familiarity with the IPL and international cricket makes him a great asset for the team.

The KKR fans cannot wait to know how Sakariya will deliver in the purple and gold colors as the side prepares for the IPL 2025.

Do you consider Sakariya a good fit to replace Umran Malik?

In a big blow to the Pakistan cricket team, opener Fakhar Zaman has been out of the big match against India on Sunday after suffering an injury in the first match of the Champions Trophy. Zaman walked off the field clutching his lower back after making a fielding attempt to stop the ball from reaching the boundary.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman will not be traveling with the team to Dubai for the highly anticipated showdown against India ❌

The aggressive left-hander suffered an injury in the opening game against New Zealand and is now likely to miss the remaining two… pic.twitter.com/nKGAmNYPOB

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) February 20, 2025

Despite the injury, Zaman batted for a while but could not open the innings. He came in to bat at No. 4 but his battle with injury seemed apparent. His agonizing stay lasted 41 balls during which he made a free-flowing 24 before being caught by Michael Bracewell.
The India-Pakistan encounter is scheduled for Sunday (February 23) in Dubai. It is a virtual elimination match for Pakistan to remain alive in the competition.

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New Zealand Overwhelm Pakistan
New Zealand comprehensively won the first match of the Champions Trophy 2025 by 60 runs. Tom Latham (118) and Will Young (107) played outstandingly to lead the side to 320/5 in their 50 overs.

Pakistan, who are already down one game, would play India in a do-or-die encounter in Dubai with full knowledge that their tournament may be over if they lose. The India game will be played on February 23.

Mayank Yadav, the Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) pacer, is facing a setback in IPL 2024 as he is set to miss the remainder of the tournament due to injury. Despite hopes for a potential return in the playoffs, the situation remains uncertain, adding to the challenges for the player and his team.

Head Coach Justin Langer’s Insights

LSG’s head coach, Justin Langer, provided insights into Mayank’s injury and the team’s outlook moving forward. While expressing optimism for Mayank’s recovery, Langer acknowledged the harsh reality of the situation, indicating that it might be challenging for the young bowler to return for the latter stages of the tournament.

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Head coach Justin Langer said: “No, we’ll be praying that he can play, hopefully, in the playoffs, but I’m a realist as well. It’ll be probably difficult for him to get up for the back-end of the tournament. He’s had a scan. He’s got a small tear in a similar area to where his last one was. So it’s very unfortunate.”

The severity of Mayank’s Injury

Mayank’s injury, as revealed by Langer, involves a small tear in a similar area to his previous injury, casting doubt over his immediate return to action. Despite the positive signs during his rehabilitation, the setback is disheartening for both Mayank and LSG, considering his impact when he returned to the field earlier in the tournament.

Head coach further stated, “He’s got huge potential. But his rehabilitation was excellent. He went into the game [against MI], had a couple of bowls before the game. He was completely pain free. So it’s very sad for him and it’s disappointing for LSG as well that he might [not[ play the rest of the tournament.”

Mayank Yadav’s Performance in IPL 2024

Mayank had burst onto the scene this IPL with returns of 3 for 27 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and 3 for 14 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), regularly hitting 155kph and making batters hop. He won the Player-of-the-Match award in both games. In his third game, against Gujarat Titans (GT), he bowled only one over before going off and sat out five games before returning against MI. But unfortunately he left the field in his last game after having bowled just 3.1 overs against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday.