ICC World Cup 2023: Travis Head Suffers Hand Fracture, Looks Set To Miss World Cup

Australia have suffered a big injury blow ahead of the all-important ICC World Cup 2023 as their opening batsman Travis Head suffered a hand injury during the fourth ODI against South Africa on Friday (September 16).

Australia are currently waiting for an update on the batsman to see whether he would be fit in time to participate in the ODI World Cup. The thirteenth edition of the World Cup is scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19. Australia, on the other hand, will open their campaign on October 8 against hosts Team India in Chennai.

The team from Down Under suffered a crushing loss against South Africa in the fourth ODI. But more than the humiliating defeat, it was the injury of Travis Head that would worry the team management. The left-handed batsman is in a race against time to be fit for the marquee event after suffering a fractured hand.

Travis Head in race against time for World Cup:

Travis Head was forced to retire hurt after copping a nasty blow on his hand from a rising delivery by South Africa pacer Gerald Coetzee. After the match, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald revealed that scans had confirmed a fracture to Travis Head’s left hand.

Further scans are expected to reveal the extent of the fracture. However, with just over three weeks remaining before Australia open their World Cup campaign, Travis Head’s participation in the World Cup especially in the early part looks highly doubtful.

“It’s a confirmed fracture,” McDonald said. “As to the nature of what sort of time frame that lends itself to, that will be assessed tomorrow.

“I think he’s going to go in for more scans tomorrow to get a detail of that, then we’ll work out the management of it from there. I’m not a medical person but I think it’s a bit higher up than the finger itself…it’s in a joint (in the hand) somewhere. Fingers crossed with the World Cup fast approaching,” he added.

Travis Head has been named in Australia’s 15-men squad for the World Cup. Teams are allowed to make changes to their squad till September 28. After that, they will need the ICC’s permission to make any change to the final squad. In case Travis Head is ruled out, Australia are likely to replace him with Mitchell Marsh at the top of the batting order.

Talking about the game, South Africa thrashed Australia by 164 runs to draw level in the five-match series. Riding on Heinrich Klaasen’s whirlwind knock of 174 runs from just 83 balls, South Africa piled up a mammoth 416 for 5 before bowling out Australia for 252.