New Delhi, Feb 23 : New Zealand suffered another injury blow when wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway was struck on his left thumb during the second T20I against Australia on Friday.

Conway injured his left thumb while wicket-keeping at Eden Park in Auckland. He sustained the injury during the second over of the match when the ball wobbled and struck his left thumb off Adam Milne, who was bowling over 140kph.

He was then forced to leave the field with Finn Allen taking over the 'keeping duties for the remainder of the innings.

"Devon Conway has left Eden Park to undergo an X-ray on his injured left thumb after sustaining a blow while wicket-keeping in tonight's second T20I," New Zealand cricket shared an update on X regarding Conway.

But Conway's X-ray cleared him of a fracture. "An X-ray has cleared Devon Conway of an obvious fracture to his left thumb and he has returned to the ground. He will be further reviewed tomorrow," the Blackcaps confirmed on social media.

However, Conway did not come to bat in the second innings as New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat of 72 runs.

Australia, who put up a competitive total of 174, put up an impressive bowling show led by Adam Zampa (4/34). The hosts were bowled out for 102 in the 17th over.

Conway's injury is second blow to New Zealand as before the start of the second T20I also revealed that Rachin Ravindra would miss the game after experiencing pain in his left knee following the first game in Wellington.

A decision will be made on his availability for the third T20I in due course.

Ravindra top-scored for New Zealand in the series opener with a fiery 35-ball 68. Conway too was impressive with the bat in Wellington, making a brisk 63 off 46 balls.

The duo injury is a double blow for Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, starting from March 22.

/IANS