DUBAI: Mohammad Rizwan and Shoaib Malik missed Pakistan’s training session on Wednesday with mild flu, a day before their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final with Australia in Dubai.
Both players were tested for COVID-19 and both tested negative. As with the rest of their squad, they have cleared regular COVID-19 testing through the tournament, including one a couple of days ago. That is part of the ICC's policy to encourage teams to test as often as possible.
The pair woke up on Wednesday morning with what an official described as "light flu and low fever" and were initially advised to delay training. That advice then changed to allow them to miss training altogether.
Pakistan are not overly concerned at the moment about their participation in Thursday's game, and will be reviewing their status in the morning again. Rizwan and Malik have been key performers in Pakistan's unbeaten run to the semi-final and losing either of them would be the first, real blow they have suffered in this campaign.
Of batters still in the tournament, Rizwan is the third-highest run-getter, just behind his opening partner and captain Babar Azam. He is also an important part of Pakistan's on-field leadership.
Malik, meanwhile, has beefed up Pakistan's middle order, with important contributions in two chases against New Zealand and Afghanistan. Against Scotland he hit the tournament's joint-fastest fifty and the fastest by a Pakistani in a T20I, and currently holds a strike rate of 187 in this World Cup.
Pakistan have options as replacements should the need arise. Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed would be the straight swap for Rizwan behind the stumps -- and for the leadership value he would bring to a side that still respects him from the days he was captain. Haider Ali would likely step in for Malik, which could push Fakhar Zaman up to open alongside Babar.
In Abu Dhabi, opener Daryl Mitchell smashed an unbeaten 72 to lead New Zealand into their first ever Twenty20 World Cup final with a thrilling five-wicket victory over England on Wednesday.
Chasing 166 for victory, New Zealand were in trouble at 13-2 and 107-4 when Jimmy Neesham turned the semi-final on its head with an 11-ball 27 to help achieve the target with one over to spare in Abu Dhabi.
With 20 needed off the final 12 balls, Mitchell smashed Chris Woakes for two sixes and a four before his 47-ball blitz triggered wild celebrations in the New Zealand dug out. New Zealand suffered early blows after Woakes struck on the third ball to send Martin Guptill trudging back to the pavilion for four.
The fast bowler then got skipper Kane Willimson’s prized scalp for five after the batsman attempted a scoop shot to be caught at fine-leg. Mitchell and Devon Conway put on 82 runs for the third wicket but Liam Livingstone struck with his leg spin to have Conway stumped for 46.
New man Neesham took the bowling head on as he smashed Chris Jordan for two sixes -- one of them nearly caught at the boundary by Bairstow but his knee touched the rope -- and a four to get 23 runs from the over. He finally fell to Adil Rashid’s googly with Eoin Morgan holding on to a catch at extra cover.
Earlier, Moeen Ali smashed an unbeaten 51 to steer England to 166-4 after being invited to bat as Kiwi skipper Williamson won an all-important toss.
England lost their openers early including Jos Buttler for 29, lbw off Ish Sodhi. But Moeen hit back with his 37-ball knock and put on a key partnership of 63 with Dawid Malan, who hit 41, for the third wicket.
In-form Buttler tried to rebuild but an attempt to reverse sweep leg-spinner Sodhi got him trapped lbw for 29 off 24 deliveries.
The opener, who moved past Pakistan’s Babar Azam as the leading batsman in the tournament with 269 runs, reviewed the call but replays suggested the ball would have hit his off stump.
The left-handed Malan, who was dropped on 10 by wicketkeeper Conway off Neesham, hit the first six of the innings off Tim Southee in the 16th over but departed next ball caught behind. But Moeen launched an attack as he hit Sodhi for a six and then smashed Milne for two hits over the fence.