Sawt Falasteen - New Zealand's Ravindra suffers sickening head injury in Pakistan ODI

The 25-year-old was fielding at deep square leg when he seemed to lose sight of the ball against the Gaddafi Stadium floodlights as he shaped to take a catch to dismiss Khushdil Shah.

Blood poured from the head of a dazed Ravindra while the crowd looked on with concern.

After being treated, he left the field holding a bandage tight to his bloodied forehead.

"Ravindra was forced from the field after being struck in the forehead by the ball attempting a catch in the 38th over," a New Zealand Cricket spokesman told cricinfo.

"He sustained a laceration to the forehead which has been addressed and treated at the ground, but is otherwise well. He came through his first HIA (Head Injury Assessment) well and will continue to be monitored under HIA processes."

Earlier Ravindra had scored 25 from 19 balls at the top of the order as New Zealand piled up 330-6 before his team went on to claim a 78-run win.

The match was part of a tri-nations series which also features South Africa and is a warm-up ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month.

O.Farraj--SF-PST