BLACKCAPS fast bowler Ben Sears has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies with an ankle injury.
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.
Auckland Aces bowler Ben Lister has been called into the 16-man squad as Sears’ replacement and will assemble with the squad in Guyana over the coming days.
Lister, who made his ODI debut for the BLACKCAPS in 2023 against Pakistan in Karachi, has featured 17 times for the BLACKCAPS (4 ODIs and 13 T20Is) taking 17 wickets and was part of the team’s last ODI series, against Bangladesh in April.
The five-match ODI series against West Indies begins in Guyana on July 12 (NZT). All matches are broadcast LIVE in NZ on ESPN on Sky Sport NZ, or ESPN on Disney+.