Cricket: Guptill to miss Pakistan match with injury

Martin Guptill is set to miss tonight's World T20 match against Pakistan with a minor left hamstring strain. Photo / Getty Images.

Martin Guptill is set to miss tonight's World T20 match against Pakistan with a minor left hamstring strain.

He sustained the injury while fielding against Bangladesh on Friday.

Medical New Zealand team physiotherapist Paul Close has been treating Guptill and expects the injury to come right in time for future matches if New Zealand make the Super Eight stage of the tournament.

"He has been receiving treatment for the past 36 hours but has not responded sufficiently to be considered for today's match," Close said.

A replacement is yet to be named for Guptill but talk within the New Zealand camp suggests he may be replaced with a bowler. If it is a like-for-like batting replacement then B-J Watling is the logical choice.

Rob Nicol is likely to move up to open the order, presumably with James Franklin after his solid performance against Bangladesh, thus creating a space further down.

Doug Bracewell or Adam Milne could have the inside running over Roneel Hira for a call up, given the grass covering on the Pallekele wicket looks more conducive to pace than spin at this stage of the tournament.

Milne's four wickets in the two warm-up games might give him the edge over Bracewell. Against South Africa, Milne also dismissed openers Faf du Plessis and Richard Levi. Bracewell is the better batsman of the two.

Andrew Alderson flew to the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka courtesy of Emirates Airline.