Adam Milne Ruled Out Of New Zealand's Europe Tour; Jacob Duffy Added To T20I Squad Against Ireland

New Zealand pace bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the remaining tour of Europe after sustaining an Achilles injury. Milne’s injury woes continue to serve as a deterrent for the 30-year-old to return to complete fitness.

Just three months ago, the Kiwi pacer was ruled out in the middle of IPL 2022 with a hamstring injury. Milne felt pain in his left Achilles tendon during New Zealand’s first net session in Ireland and a scan this week confirmed that the pacer would require to take rest and go under rehabilitation.

Adam Milne is determined to be part of the T20 WC selection: Shane Jurgensen

New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen, who is in charge of the Blackcaps for the Ireland tour, said Milne will be determined to stage his recovery and make himself available for selection in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later in October.

“We’re naturally disappointed for Adam. He’s a great character in any team and I am sure he’ll apply his strong will to this next phase of rehabilitation,” Jurgensen said. 

“There is still a lot of cricket to come this year including the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia, and Adam is determined to make himself available to be part of that selection picture,” he added. 

The Blackcaps have already begun their month-long Europe tour with the three-match ODI series against Ireland in Dublin and will follow with three T20I matches in Belfast next week. They will move to Scotland to play a couple of T20Is and a solitary ODI before they clash against the Netherlands in a two-match T20I series to conclude their continental tour.

We’re backing Jacob Duffy to step up: Shane Jurgensen

Milne didn’t feature in the Tom Latham-led side in the first two ODI matches against Ireland. Otago pace bowler Jacob Duffy, who made his ODI debut against Ireland in the second game, has been added to the T20I squad against the Irish side. Duffy was awarded Player of the match on his T20I debut against Pakistan in 2020 for excellent figures of 4/33, dismissing the likes of Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hafeez.

“We’re backing Jacob to step up. He’s made an exciting start to his white ball international career. He’s an established performer in the Super Smash and showed on T20 debut against Pakistan that he can transfer those skills to international cricket,” Jurgensen said.

New Zealand plays the third and final ODI match against Ireland on Friday (July 15) at The Village in Dublin.

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