New Zealand will be without their ODI captain Tom Latham for the upcoming series against Pakistan after the wicketkeeper-batsman suffered a fractured right hand. Latham, who was expected to lead the side in the three-match ODI series, has been ruled out for at least four weeks, the New Zealand Cricket Board confirmed in a statement.
With regular white-ball captain Mitchell Santner occupied with Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments, Michael Bracewell will continue as the stand-in captain for the ODI series. Bracewell recently led the Black Caps to a dominant 4-1 victory over Pakistan in the T20I series and will now have the responsibility of leading them in the 50-over format as well.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead expressed his disappointment over Latham’s injury and wished him a speedy recovery.
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose Tom as captain on the eve of the series, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” Stead said.
The three-match ODI series between New Zealand and Pakistan is set to begin on March 29 in Napier. New Zealand has already announced its squad for the series, featuring a mix of experienced players and fresh faces. The squad includes:
New Zealand ODI Squad:
Muhammad Abbas, Adi Ashok, Michael Bracewell (C), Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Mitch Hay (WK), Nick Kelly, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Will Young (match 1), Rhys Mariu.
Opener Will Young, however, will only be available for the first ODI as he is set to miss the last two matches due to personal commitments, as he and his family await the birth of their first child.
Henry Nicholls, who is making his return from a calf strain, has been named as Tom Latham’s replacement in the squad. Another exciting inclusion is Mohammad Abbas, the son of former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Abbas, who has earned his maiden call-up to the ODI squad. Rhys Mariu has also been included as a replacement for Will Young for the final two matches.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead remains optimistic about the squad despite several key players being unavailable. “We’ve had to be flexible this tour with numerous players unavailable for different reasons,” Stead said.
He further added, “What it does do is offer opportunities to other players, and it’s nice to introduce Rhys into the environment for the first time, as well as welcome back Henry.”
The series presents a significant opportunity for players like Abbas and Mariu to showcase their skills at the international level. With Bracewell continuing to lead the side after an impressive T20I series, the Champions Trophy runners up will aim to build on their recent success against Pakistan and carry forward the momentum in the ODI format.