Hamstring injury ends Plunkett’s New Zealand tour

Liam Plunkett has been ruled out of the rest of the Trans-Tasman Tri-nation Twenty20 International series as well the the five-match one-day international series against New Zealand to follow due to a hamstring injury.

Plunkett, 32, had suffered a grade 1 tear on his left hamstring during England’s third ODI against Australia last month, which had ruled him out of the final two matches of the series.

Having sat out of the opening two T20Is against Australia, Plunkett returned for the third match against New Zealand, which England lost by 12 runs. He returned 0/33 in his four overs, but aggravated his original injury.

"Liam Plunkett will miss the remainder of the IT20 series and England's ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a minor recurrence of his Grade 1 left hamstring tear during the last IT20," a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said.

"An MRI scan today confirmed a minor hamstring strain and this will not recover in time to take part in the ODI series.”

England have not named a replacement for Plunkett just yet, but are expected to do so.

England have lost all three games so far in the tri-series, but still have a chance to make it to the final when they face off against New Zealand in the last T20I on Sunday.