Matt Prior was today ruled out of the remainder of England's ICC World Twenty20 campaign after X-rays confirmed he has fractured his right thumb.

The Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman sustained the injury while facing throw-downs from Peter Moores, the coach, in practice yesterday and was immediately sent to hospital.

England were hopeful Prior, the only specialist wicketkeeper in their Twenty20 squad, would be able to shake off the injury and feature in today's match against New Zealand and tomorrow's against India - games they must win to have a realistic chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. But tests revealed the broken bone and England must now decide on a replacement wicketkeeper with Phil Mustard, the Durham player, the favourite although Warwickshire's Tim Ambrose, James Foster, of Essex, and Nottinghamshire's Chris Read may come into the reckonining.

Vikram Solanki, the Worcestershire captain, will take over the job as wicketkeeper today having filled in for his county for the first day of their championship match against Yorkshire earlier this season when Steven Davies was absent because of a family bereavement.

England will also have to consider whether Prior will be fit enough to play in the five-match one-day series in Sri Lanka, which starts on October 1 with the the first of three matches in Dambulla.