The Australian cricket team today received a major jolt with captain
Ricky Ponting being ruled out for the rest of the Twenty20 World Cup due to injury
which also rendered him doubtful for the tour of India.
In yesterday's Super Eight match against Pakistan, which Australia lost
by six wickets, Ponting suffered a hamstring strain while batting.
Ponting's injury came at a time when the world champions are
struggling to make it to the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup and are meeting
Sri Lanka in a crucial Super Eight encounter later today.
Along with Pakistan, the winner of the match will reach
the last four stage from group F.
Australia's physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said the injury
may force Ponting out of action for four weeks, which means he may miss out
on the seven-match one-day series against India beginning on September 29.
"Over the next three to five days we will have a much
better indication of where it's leading, so we will know whether he will have
to go home or be able to go to India," Kountouris told mediapersons.
"Hopefully, he will take some part in the series in India.
The best case scenario is a couple of weeks. The worst case scenario is four
weeks," Kountouris said, adding "he just took off for a run and felt
it a bit (yesterday)." The physio said the Aussie skipper might be experiencing
such an injury for the first time in his career.
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