New Zealand coach Gary Stead is “hopeful” Matt Henry will recover from a shoulder injury in time for their Champions Trophy final against India on Sunday.

The pace bowler is racing to be fit for the title clash in Dubai after injuring his right shoulder while taking a catch in the semi-final win over the Proteas on Wednesday.

Henry has been key to New Zealand’s hopes in the 50-over tournament and returned figures of 5-42 against India in a dead-rubber group match that the Black Caps lost.

“We’ve had some scans and stuff done on him and we’re going to give him every chance to be playing in this match,” Stead said on Friday.

“So still a little bit unknown at this stage. He’s obviously pretty sore just from landing on the point of his shoulder. Hopeful he will be OK.”

Henry took a catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen in South Africa’s chase of 363 in Lahore and landed awkwardly. He went off the field but returned to bowl two more overs in his spell of seven.

“I guess the positive thing from our perspective is he got back out there to bowl,” said Stead.

With Trent Boult and Tim Southee retired, New Zealand have depended on their inexperienced pace bowlers to get early breakthroughs.

Apart from Henry, who is a veteran of 91 ODIs, fellow quicks Will O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson have 29 ODI matches between them.

“We’re possibly one of the most inexperienced groups that are here,” Stead said of his pace attack. “And Will O’Rourke, Kyle Jamieson, for example, they haven’t played a lot of one-day cricket or ICC tournament cricket either.

“So for them to keep standing up on this stage is very good, especially after the loss of a Southee, a Bolt.”

New Zealand’s men won their only white-ball global tournament in 2000 when they beat India to lift the Champions Trophy.

However, the New Zealand women’s team last year won the T20 World Cup in Dubai.

“I think if New Zealand can get up and win this, it’d be a real credit to the players and what they’ve done,” said Stead. “They’re a tight-knit bunch. We enjoy each other’s company and I’m sure it’ll be a real coup for New Zealand, especially here in Dubai after the women won the T20 World Cup here as well.”

New Zealand are particularly wary of India’s spin force that got them bowled out for 205 in their chase of 250 in the two sides’ group match in Dubai.

Varun Chakravarthy played his first match of the tournament as part of a four-pronged spin attack to claim match-winning figures of 5-42.

A mystery spinner who has many variations up his sleeve, Chakravarthy is a serious threat on a pitch that helps slower bowlers and where run-scoring is tough.

“I mean, they are very, very good spinners, all of them in their own right,” said Stead. “So for us it’s just being nice and clear on our plans and working out. So who knows? They might have off days as well, and that could be in our advantage.”

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Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images

Matt Henry claimed four wickets and Will Young scored an unbeaten 90 as New Zealand coasted to a nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first ODI on Sunday.

The tourists never recovered after slumping to 23-4 inside 10 overs, dismissed in the 44th over for 178 after being asked to bat in cold, windy Wellington.

In response, Young was barely flustered during a fluent 86-ball knock, putting on 93 for the opening stand with Rachin Ravindra, who scored 45.

Mark Chapman was 29* as the home side reached the target from 26.2 overs in an emphatic start to the three-match series.

Coming off a productive Test series against England, Henry was a handful with the new ball in seam-friendly conditions, taking the key wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka for nine in the fifth over.

The relentless seamer returned to help mop up the tail, finishing with 4-19 off 10 overs.

Seamers Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy snared two wickets each, capitalising on bouncy conditions offering some sideways movement at the Basin Reserve.

Captain Mitchell Santner praised the patience shown by his pace attack.

“The boys up front did the job with the ball but when there’s movement there, you’re expected to take wickets,” Santner said. “We were patient, especially at the start, and were able to chip our wickets out that way. All four seamers did a hell of a job.”

Opener Avishka Fernando rode out the early storm to top score with 56 off 63 balls, hitting six fours and a six.

He put on 87 for the fifth wicket with Janith Liyanage, who departed for 36, caught in the deep.

Off-spinner Santner took one wicket and three catches, as well as executing a sharp run out of danger man Kamindu Mendis with a direct hit.

Tailenders Wanindu Hasaranga (35) and Chamidu Wickramasinghe (22) scored late runs before both were caught off Henry.

Batting conditions improved and the in-form Young took advantage, hitting 12 fours.

The 32-year-old was named Man of the Series following the 3-0 Test sweep in India and scored 42 and 60 in his only appearance during the home Test series loss to England before Christmas.

Wickramsinghe took the only wicket, when Ravindra was caught on the deep square leg boundary.

Visiting skipper Charith Asalanka refused to blame the cold and blustery conditions for a substandard display.

“We knew when we came here it’s too windy and it’s going be hard for us but that is not the reason we lost,” he said. “As professionals we have to play any kind of situation.

“I think they bowled really nicely up front and it’s hard for us to come back.”

The second game is in Hamilton on Wednesday.

New Zealand won the preceding T20I series against Sri Lanka 2-1.

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