England are keeping their fingers crossed over the availability of opener Jason Roy for the remainder of their T20 World Cup campaign. England play the first semi-final on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

Roy, one of England’s key batsmen, sustained a calf strain while completing a single during their final Super 12 clash versus South Africa in Sharjah on Saturday.

Helped off the field after scoring 20 runs, Roy was in tears when back at the dugout. He was later seen on a crutch while shaking hands with opposition players at the end of the game.

The 31-year-old went for a scan on Sunday with its report likely in the next 24 hours, said an England team spokesperson.

If Roy does get ruled out, it certainly will be a blow to England and could well affect the dressing room morale, captain Eoin Morgan agreed. “He (Jason)’s unbelievably important. He’s a guy that epitomises everything that we are about in the changing room and the way we play.

“You see how commanding he is at the top of the order, not only in T20 cricket, but in 50-over cricket as well. He’s as close as we get to surmising how the changing room should play.

“We’re all hopeful that he comes through in some manner or there’s some remedy to get him through one, if not two games. For anybody to miss the latter stages of the tournament does hurt the mood of the dressing room,” Morgan said after England’s 10-run loss to the Proteas.

That said, England do have back-up options who could step into the side in Roy’s absence. James Vince, who’s one of the reserves, could be brought into the squad, while Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali are also among the candidates to step up from the middle order and open alongside Jos Buttler.

“Very disappointed when it comes to Jason, but England do have other batsmen, someone like a Jonny Bairstow who can step up and do a fine job at the top of the order. So we have to be on our toes (in the semi-final),” New Zealand pacer Adam Milne said after the Black Caps’ eight-wicket win versus Afghanistan that earned them a last-four berth.

Depth in squad

Before the uncertainty surrounding Roy, England had already lost pacer Tymal Mills, who sustained a thigh injury during their game versus Sri Lanka at Sharjah last week, while they went into the competition without key men in the form of all-rounders Ben Stokes and Sam Curran along with pacer Jofra Archer.

Yet, they remain a formidable force and one of the favourites to win the crown, and it all boils down to the depth in their squad.

“... You go through the names that either aren’t here through injury or other reasons, so you go through Stokes, Sam Curran, Tymal and now possibly Jason.

“You look back at the times that you have really explored and tried to build a bigger squad, and I’m sitting here thankful that we have actually done that because we are going need those guys possibly in the next game or the final,” Morgan said.