New Zealand have adjusted their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad after fast bowler Ben Sears withdrew due to a hamstring injury. Jacob Duffy steps in as his replacement, bringing his limited but promising ODI experience to the team. Mitchell Santner will captain the Black Caps in this major tournament for the first time.
New Zealand's preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have hit a snag with the withdrawal of pace bowler Ben Sears, who suffered a hamstring injury. The team management responded swiftly by naming Jacob Duffy as his direct replacement. The 30-year-old seamer has played just 10 ODIs for New Zealand since his debut in July 2022, claiming 18 wickets at an average of 25.94 and an economy rate of 6.25. His most recent outing came in early January, where he took 2 wickets for 30 runs against Sri Lanka in Hamilton.
Mitchell Santner takes the helm as captain for his first major ICC tournament, leaning on experienced campaigners like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham. The squad also includes versatile players such as Mark Chapman, Will Young, and allrounder Michael Bracewell. The full 15-man roster is: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, and Jacob Duffy.
New Zealand are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Their group-stage schedule begins on February 19 against Pakistan in Karachi, followed by Bangladesh on February 24 in Rawalpindi, and concludes with India on March 2 in Dubai.
Speaking on the team's strategy, Santner highlighted the need for flexibility: “We usually prefer to stick with a settled lineup, but conditions will play a big role. Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Dubai will likely offer very different playing surfaces. Given the short nature of the tournament, we’d like to back our chosen XI, but we’re prepared to make changes if necessary. Our focus is on fielding the best combination for the conditions at hand.”
This adjustment underscores New Zealand's depth in pace bowling options as they aim to compete strongly in the tournament hosted across Pakistan and Dubai.
