Injury scare for Khawaja in WC warm-up game

Australia's Usman Khawaja was hit on the knee during Australia's pre-World Cup warm-up match against Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Monday.

While

Khawaja hobbled off the pitch, a Cricket Australia spokesperson later said that he didn't suffer any major damage and has since come out to bat in the team's chase.

The 32-year-old was fielding at mid-off when he dived to his left to stop a firmly hit drive from Jeevan Mendis. The ball appeared to strike Khawaja's left kneecap and he immediately called for medical attention before limping off the pitch.

Khawaja has had trouble earlier with his left knee. He had a reconstructive surgery in 2014 and in October 2018 he twisted his left knee and suffered a meniscal tear during a warm-up fielding drill during Australia's Test series against Pakistan in the UAE. That put him in doubt for the series against India that followed, although he ended up playing all of Australia's matches in the 1-2 series defeat.

The absence of David Warner, who was serving a year-long ban for his involvement in a ball tampering scandal, helped Khawaja cement his place in the top of the order. The southpaw formed a formidable opening partnership with captain Aaron Finch and Australia have been rotating him, Warner and Shaun Marsh in the World Cup warm-up ties in an attempt to settle on their best batting line-up.

--IANS

rkm/arm