New Zealand suffered a major blow ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as key fast bowler Ben Sears was ruled out of the marquee tournament with a hamstring injury.
The right-arm fast bowler, part of New Zealand’s tri-series squad, felt pain in his hamstring during the team’s training session in Karachi on Wednesday.
According to New Zealand Cricket (NZC), a scan revealed a minor tear that would require two weeks of rehabilitation following the injury.
Keeping the tournament schedule in focus, New Zealand Cricket named a replacement, as Sears would have been only available from the BlackCaps’ final group match onwards against India on 2 March.
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Jacob Duffy was named Ben Sears’s replacement for the Champions Trophy 2025. Duffy is already part of the ongoing tri-nation series against Pakistan and South Africa.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead was disappointed after Ben Sears was ruled out of a highly-anticipated event.
“We’re all really feeling for Ben. It’s always tough being ruled out of a significant event at such a late stage, and it’s especially tough in Ben’s case, given it would have been his first major ICC event,” said Stead.
He further stated that considering the short nature of the tournament and Ben Sear’s fitness timeline, it was appropriate to bring in a replacement.
“The timeframes for Ben to be fit to play again meant he would likely miss the majority of the group stage, and given the short nature of the tournament, we felt it was appropriate to bring in a player who is fully fit and ready to go,” said New Zealand head coach.
New Zealand Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Mitchell Santner (C), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
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