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De Villiers strains left thigh muscle

KOLKATA, India - Medical scans have confirmed South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has a strain to his left thigh muscle, putting him in doubt for the Proteas next World Cup match.

Team media manager Lerato Malekutu said De Villiers, who injured his leg in South Africa’s World Cup victory over India on Saturday, would be assessed on a “day by day” basis.

De Villiers was receiving treatment, Malekutu said, but was not automatically ruled out of Tuesday’s Group B game against Ireland at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. A decision would be taken on the 27-year-old right-hander’s participation on the morning of the game.

South Africa now has injury worries over its leading run scorer and wicket-taker at the World Cup.

Legspinner Imran Tahir was already expected to sit out the game against the Irish with a fractured left thumb.

South Africa coach Corrie Van Zyl confirmed earlier Monday that De Villiers had the scan to check the extent of the injury after needing to use a runner during his innings against India.

“We are just waiting for a full medical report so we will make a decision a little bit later,” Van Zyl had said. “I’m not a doctor. I don’t think it’s major in terms of out of the tournament, but as I said I’m not a doctor. I’ll wait for the doctor’s report.”

De Villiers has scored two centuries and a half-century in four innings at the World Cup but is now likely to be left out for the game against the Irish as South Africa plans ahead for the knockout stage.

De Villiers also struggled with a lower back problem earlier in the tournament, with Morne van Wyk taking over wicketkeeping duties.

Leading bowler Tahir, who has 11 wickets in three matches, is still resting the fractured thumb that also sidelined him for the dramatic, last-over win over India.

The Pakistan-born legspinner was advised to undergo a 10-day recovery period. He picked up the injury against England on March 6.

Van Zyl said his starting lineup against Ireland “depends on availability” but insisted South Africa would still be strong in Kolkata as it looks to seal its place in the quarterfinals.

“We said when we left South Africa that we have got a 15-man squad we feel that can represent South Africa on any given day,” Van Zyl told reporters. “That gives us options and I believe that even if both of them (De Villiers and Tahir) can’t play tomorrow, then the 11 that we put in the field will be a strong 11.”

The South Africans chose not to practice at the renovated Eden Gardens on Monday and will head into Tuesday’s match without a formal workout at the stadium.

Eden Gardens hosts the first of three games at the World Cup on Tuesday after the Feb. 27 Group B match between India and England was moved to Bangalore because of delays with renovation work at the Kolkata ground.

Van Zyl later went to examine the Eden Gardens pitch with members of the team’s management, but there was no sign of the Proteas players.

“Because we are not training doesn’t mean we are not prepared,” Van Zyl said. “This is part of our preparation, having close games (against India).”

“Sometimes you just get caught up with it, do you have to practice or do you practice for the sake of practicing? But being prepared is important ... we are well aware of what’s expected with day-night matches in Kolkata.”

Following the dramatic win over India, which Van Zyl said was a psychological boost for the team, South Africa needs one point from its remaining group games against Ireland and Bangladesh to reach the quarterfinals.