Australia’s seasoned batter Steve Smith was rushed to hospital on Friday after sustaining a painful finger injury during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s. The incident occurred midway through Day 3, when Smith attempted a sharp catch off South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma.

Fielding in an unusually advanced position in the slip cordon and wearing a protective helmet, Smith tried to latch onto a fierce edge from Bavuma, who was batting on just two runs at the time. However, the ball struck Smith’s right hand awkwardly, causing him to drop the catch and immediately reel away in visible discomfort.

JUST IN: A big injury blow for the Aussies with confirmation that Steve Smith has suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/9Vu8A8Gb80