New Zealand might be struggling to find 11 fit players for the final T20I against Sri Lanka after a number of their squad members picked up a raft of injuries, even though there was good news for them on the Ross Taylor front.

Taylor was ruled out of the second match with a hip injury, but has since been declared available for selection, but Martin Guptill, who was unable to bat after straining a stomach muscle in the field, has since been ruled of the third game. Tom Bruce, who struck a half-century in the chase in the second game, picked up a knee problem part-way through his innings, and is being monitored.

With Lockie Ferguson having been ruled out of the series with a broken finger and not replaced in the 14-man squad, there is the potential for New Zealand to be left with just 11 fit players, meaning even one training injury could throw things into disarray.

Fortunately for them, though, the series is in the pocket after they won the first and second games by five wickets and four wickets respectively.

"I swung at the ball a bit too hard, swung and missed, and felt [the hip] twinge a little bit. More of a precautionary measure, nothing major," Taylor had said after missing the second game.

@kylemills79 warming up in the comm box after a couple of injury scares tonight! Mills and @Sdoull on standby for T20 #3 #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/239riAl4fd

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) September 3, 2019

At the presentation, captain Tim Southee said: "We have to do an injury check and see who's available for the next game [on Thursday, in Pallekele]."

Bruce, who replaced Taylor, struck 53 off 46 balls before falling in the final over leaving Mitchell Santner to secure a tense win, and said he would do all he could to be available for the last match of the tour.

"I'll ice the knee and rest up the next couple of days. I think it should be right, fingers crossed anyway," he told Radio Sport.