SOUTH Africa’s leg-spinner Imran Tahir will be available for his country’s remaining World Cup matches, even though he has been advised to rest his fractured thumb for 10 days, a team official said.
The Pakistan-born cricketer suffered a fracture in his left thumb on his non-bowling hand, during the game against England while catching the ball to dismiss Jonathan Trott.
Tahir, who has taken 11 wickets in three matches, had the injured finger X-rayed on Wednesday and the pictures were sent back to hand specialist Dr Mike Solomons in South Africa.
“Tahir has been advised to rest for 10 days but he remains available for all South Africa’s matches,” a team spokesperson told Reuters from Nagpur.
The streaked-hair bowler, who became eligible to play for South Africa after gaining his citizenship in January, was able to bowl in the nets yesterday.
South Africa play India tomorrow at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur in a high-profile Group B match, following which they have group matches left against Ireland and Bangladesh.