Kiwi pace bowler Bennett ruled out of World Cup

New Zealand pace bowler Hamish Bennett has been ruled of the World Cup with an ankle injury and will be replaced by Daryl Tuffey, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday.

Bennett suffered an injury to his left ankle and Achilles tendon while bowling during New Zealand's loss to Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Friday.

The 24-year-old, forcing the first injury-based replacement for the Kiwis, limped off the field after spraining his left ankle during his delivery stride at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Bennett had two false starts before he bowled the first ball of the 31st over and ended up landing awkwardly on his left ankle in his follow-through.

New Zealand have been hit by several injury scares during their campaign with regular captain and frontline spinner Daniel Vettori and paceman Kyle Mills also recovering from a knee injury and a quad strain, respectively.

Tuffey, 32, was earlier asked to join the squad as an injury cover for Mills but will now be used as a replacement for Bennett.

The Kiwis have finished fourth in their group and will play against Group B winners South Africa in their last-eight match, the venue for which will be decided after Sunday's clash between India and West Indies in Chennai.