England look set to be without number three Dawid Malan for their T20 World Cup semi-final clash against India after he suffered a groin injury in the win over Sri Lanka.
Malan limped off the field during Sri Lanka's innings and then did not bat in England's chase, although captain Jos Buttler later said he "would have batted if he needed to". And BBC Sport are now reporting that Malan is 'unlikely to be fit' for Thursday's semi-final.
As a result, Phil Salt could be brought into the side as his replacement given he is the only spare batter in England's squad.
Although they do not have another batter among their travelling reserves, England could add one of James Vince, Jason Roy or Sam Billings to their squad if Malan's tournament is over, with the trio arriving in Australia ahead of the ODI series later this month.
England's vice-captain Moeen Ali offered the latest update on Malan's fitness, admitting it "doesn't look great". He told the BBC : "He is a big player and has been for a number of years.
"He has been one of our best players. I don't know [whether he will be fit] but it doesn't look great."
And England quick Mark Wood has backed Salt to make an impact if he replaces Malan for the semi-final. "Phil will be good if he's needed," Wood said.
"He's one of the only ones that faces the bowlers, normally the batters like dog sticks but he takes on the bowlers and I think he's chomping at the bit. He's been ready for a while and he's got something about him so he'll be able to fit into the side for the big game if needed.
"It will be an exciting game against India. They're a powerhouse of a team so it's a big, big game and if you want to win a World Cup you've got to beat the best teams so it will be a cracker."
