The Black Caps' ODI series sweep of Sri Lanka has come at a price after it was revealed all-rounder Jimmy Neesham suffered a hamstring injury and will miss Friday's Twenty20.
Neesham hurt his right hamstring while in the field yesterday and as a result has been scratched from the upcoming T20 against Sri Lanka at Eden Park.
Black Caps physio Vijay Vallabh said Neesham's injury wouldn't come right in time for the match.
"Jimmy felt some tightness in his right hamstring during the bowling innings and left the field for treatment," said Vallabh.
"He's iced and compressed the injury and will be reassessed in a couple of days."
It's cruel luck for the 28-year-old who played a starring role in the ODI series sweep of Sri Lanka with both bat and ball.
After an 18-month hiatus from the national side, Neesham returned to the Black Caps with a brilliant 47 runs off 13 balls in the first ODI, which included his impressive 34 runs scored from a single over. He took three wickets for 38 runs bowling in the match as well.
He backed that up with 64 runs off 37 balls with bat in-hand while taking another two wickets before chipping in 12 runs from six deliveries at the end of the Black Caps' innings yesterday.
The Black Caps have called in Doug Bracewell, who didn't feature at all in the ODI series despite being named in the squad, as Neesham's replacement and will join the T20 squad today.
Black Caps T20 squad v Sri Lanka
Tim Southee (c), Doug Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor
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