Henry, who was the leading wicket-taker with ten scalps before the final, suffered a shoulder injury while attempting a catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen during the semi-final against South Africa in Lahore. He left the field due to discomfort but returned to bowl two overs and was seen diving in the field.
With Henry ruled out, New Zealand picked Nathan Smith as his replacement for the final. Smith had played one match in the tournament against Pakistan, where he took two wickets for 20 runs in two overs. The right-arm pacer has played seven ODIs, picking up as many wickets at an average of 41.71.
Heartbroken Matt Henry in Tears After Missing Champions Trophy Final
New Zealand likely opted not to risk him for the high-stakes contest. Moments before the toss, head coach Gary Stead consoled Henry by patting him on the back.
BREAKING: Matt Henry is OUT of the ICC Champions Trophy final with a shoulder injury ? pic.twitter.com/qmBvTmVsiD
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 9, 2025
New Zealand won the toss in the final and chose to bat first. At the time of writing, the Black Caps were 165/5 after 38 overs, with Daryl Mitchell (44) and Michael Bracewell (0) at the crease. Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed one.
Matt Henry Tops Bowling Charts in International Cricket Since 2023
Henry was instrumental in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle, picking up 48 wickets in nine matches. However, the Black Caps failed to advance to the final of the WTC 2023-25 cycle.
Also read: Revealed: Why Matt Henry is not playing today Champions Trophy final and who has replaced him?
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