New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies after suffering an ankle injury. New Zealand Cricket confirmed his withdrawal and named Auckland Aces left-arm pacer Ben Lister as his replacement for the five-match series.
The upcoming ODI series between New Zealand and the West Indies will begin on July 12 in Guyana. Notably, the Black Caps will aim to continue their strong record in the Caribbean after becoming the first New Zealand side to win an ODI series against the West Indies there in 2022.
Ben Sears Ruled Out of West Indies ODIs
Ben Sears suffered an injury ahead of the ODI series against the West Indies. Ben Lister will join the squad in the Caribbean for the five-match series.
New Zealand Cricket said that Ben Sears had been managing ankle pain for several weeks. The injury worsened during the final day of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge, prompting the team management to send him home for treatment.
"Ben Sears had experienced some ongoing pain in his ankle since the four-day Test against Ireland in May, which flared up during the final day of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge, so a precautionary decision has been made to send him home to New Zealand for further treatment," New Zealand Cricket said.
Ben Lister Joins the New Zealand Squad
Ben Lister has earned another opportunity at the international level after replacing the injured Ben Sears in New Zealand's ODI squad. The left-arm pacer made his ODI debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 2023 and adds variety to the Black Caps' pace attack.
Lister has already represented New Zealand in 17 white-ball internationals, taking 17 wickets across ODIs and T20Is. He last played during the ODI series against Bangladesh in April. The bowler remains part of New Zealand's plans in limited-overs cricket.
The New Zealand squad is led by Mitchell Santner and includes experienced players such as Michael Bracewell, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Latham. Lister will join the squad in Guyana before the series, where he is expected to support fellow seamers Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, and Nathan Smith.
New Zealand Missing Several Key Players for West Indies ODI Series
New Zealand recently announced their squad for the ODI series against the West Indies but will be without several key players. Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, and Will O'Rourke have been rested after a busy schedule this year, while Blair Tickner is unavailable as he prepares to undergo ankle surgery.
Devon Conway is unavailable following the birth of his second child, while Rachin Ravindra will miss the tour after receiving permission to play in Major League Cricket.
The ODI series will begin at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, with the first three matches scheduled for July 12, July 14, and July 16. The teams will then travel to Barbados, where the final two matches will be played at the Kensington Oval on July 19 and July 21.
New Zealand Updated ODI Squad v West Indies
Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay, Nick Kelly, Tom Latham, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ben Lister, Nathan Smith, Will Young
