New Zealand identify pace-heavy squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 – INA NEWS

Quick bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears have been recalled to New Zealand’s 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 set to be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in February and March.

Seamers Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke will play their first world match because the Black Caps named a pace-packed lineup on Sunday.

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner will lead the 15-man squad after being appointed the white-ball captain final month, whereas Matt Henry will lead the tempo assault after the worldwide retirements of stalwarts Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

Santner, Kane Williamson, and Tom Blundell are the one survivors of the New Zealand squad from the final version of the Champions Trophy in 2017.

The batting lineup is powerful, with Devon Conway, Will Younger, Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell and Williamson offering depth and expertise.

Prepared for Pakistan and UAE 🏏 #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/Q4tbhqm0xi

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 11, 2025

“We’re at the moment blessed with quite a lot of high quality gamers and that definitely made for some difficult choice discussions,” coach Gary Stead stated.

“We’ve gone with the squad that can supply us the very best choices to carry out properly within the anticipated circumstances in Pakistan and the UAE.”

Ferguson is not contracted to New Zealand Cricket and he missed the collection in opposition to Sri Lanka whereas enjoying in Australia’s Large Bash League.

Sears returns from a knee damage that saved him out of motion for a lot of final 12 months, whereas O’Rourke and Smith impressed within the latest Check collection in opposition to England and the limited-overs collection in opposition to Sri Lanka that adopted.

Jacob Duffy, who was excellent within the T20 and one-day worldwide collection in opposition to Sri Lanka, has been named a travelling reserve.

The Black Caps will play warm-up matches in opposition to Pakistan, South Africa and Afghanistan in Karachi and Lahore earlier than the match will get beneath means on February 19.

New Zealand will put together for the match with a warm-up tri-series in opposition to Pakistan and South Africa in Karachi and Lahore and a warm-up match in opposition to Afghanistan in Karachi.

The Champions Trophy is contested by the highest eight ODI males’s groups in world cricket.

New Zealand had been the primary winners of the match in 2000.

Squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Younger.