Key Points
Mark Wood leaves field with potential knee injury
England face mounting fitness challenges
Brydon Carse already ruled out of tournament
Rehan Ahmed joins squad as replacement
Wood was spotted walking gingerly midway through his fourth over in the first innings. Moments later, the England physio tended to Wood and was seen helping the speedster stretch his left knee. Wood went on to finish his over before he went off the field.
Even though Wood returned to the field to bowl four more overs, he could be seen in discomfort later in the innings again. He eventually returned to the dressing room following the 43rd over. The 35-year-old ended his eight-over spell wicketless and conceded 50 runs.
This isn't the first injury setback that England have faced in the recent days. On Monday, right-arm quick Brydon Carse was ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a toe injury, and spinner Rehan Ahmed was called in as his replacement.
Carse sustained the injury during England's Champions Trophy opening Group B match against arch-rival Australia on Saturday in Lahore. Carse missed England's training session on Monday with a toe injury.
He was considered to be fit for England's tournament opener against Australia but struggled to find his rhythm. Carse was the most expensive bowler on the field, with an economy rate of 9.85 as Australia chased down a record-breaking 352-run target.
As the injury got worse, he had to be withdrawn from England's Champions Trophy squad ahead of their second group-stage game against Afghanistan on Wednesday in Lahore.
Rehan, who came in as the substitute for Carse, was an unused member of England's squad during the white-ball tour of India. The 20-year-old spinner has picked 10 wickets in five ODI outings with the ball for England.
