Kiwi star to miss World Cup final with self-inflicted injury

New Zealand's Devon Conway will miss this weekend's T20 World Cup final against Australia after breaking his hand punching his own bat in his side's semi-final win.

Conway punched his bat in frustration after being stumped for 46 from 38 balls off the bowling of Liam Livingstone.

While batting gloves are padded to protect a batters' fingers from the ball, Conway managed to miss the padding with his punch, breaking a bone in his pinky finger.

The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter's dismissal left New Zealand at 3-95 in the 14th over, chasing England's 5-166, and needing 72 more runs off 38 balls.

An X-ray confirmed Conway had broken the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, and he will also miss the Black Caps' T20 and Test tour of India that follows the World Cup.

"He's absolutely gutted to be ruled out like this at this time," Black Caps coach Gary Stead said.

"Devon is hugely passionate about playing for the Black Caps and no one is more disappointed at the moment than he is – so we're really trying to rally around him.

"It looked a pretty innocuous reactionary incident on the field, but the blow obviously caught the bat between the glove padding.

"While it's not the smartest thing he's done there's certainly an element of bad luck in the injury."

While New Zealand were able to overcome England after Jimmy Neesham electrified their run-chase with three sixes in an 11-ball 27 and Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 72, Conway was an important player for the Black Caps' middle order at the World Cup.

The Johannesburg-born 30-year-old had scored 129 runs in six innings at an average of 32.25and strike rate of 108.40 in the World Cup.

Tim Seifert is the back-up keeper in the Black Caps' squad, and now looks set to come in to the New Zealand playing XI for the final against Australia (Monday, November 15, 1am AEDT).

Seifert has played just the one game at this World Cup, scoring eight off as many balls in New Zealand's Super 12 defeat to Pakistan in Sharjah.

The 26-year-old, who played a single game at Kolkata Knight Riders in the second stage of this year's IPL, boasts a career T20I strike rate of 132.64 from 33 innings.

"Devon is a great team-man and a very popular member of the side so we're all feeling for him," Stead added.

"He's determined to support the team in any way he can for the remainder of the tour before he returns home to recover.

Image Id: 7B015B35D10C4B61A4E976613052841B Image Caption: Conway broke a bone in his right pinky finger with this punch // Getty

"Due to the timelines we won't be bringing in a replacement player for this World Cup or next week's T20 series against India, but are working through our options for the Test series later this month."

It's the second major injury at the tournament for New Zealand, who lot paceman Lockie Ferguson with a calf tear before their opening match against Pakistan, who was replaced in the squad by travelling reserve Adam Milne. 

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee

2021 Men's T20 World Cup

Semi-finals

Nov 10: New Zealand beat England by five wickets

Nov 11: Australia beat Pakistan by five wickets

Final

Nov 14: New Zealand v Australia, Dubai (6pm local, 1am Nov 15 AEDT)

All matches live and exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports.

Click here for the full 2021 ICC T20 World Cup schedule