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New Zealand have made a late change to their squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against the West Indies after fast bowler Ben Sears was ruled out with an ankle injury. Left-arm pacer Ben Lister has been drafted into the 16-player squad as his replacement. Sears had been dealing with ankle discomfort since New Zealand's Test against Ireland in May, with the injury worsening during the final Test against England at Trent Bridge. As a precaution, New Zealand Cricket decided to send him home for further treatment. Lister, who made his ODI debut in 2023, brings valuable international experience with four ODI appearances and six wickets to his name. He recently featured in New Zealand's ODI squad against Bangladesh and will now join the team in Guyana ahead of the opening match. The Black Caps will begin their five-match ODI series against the West Indies on July 11 , with the first three games scheduled in Guyana before the final two matches move to Barbados. Despite ...

Zimbabwe Cricket has appointed legendary West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh as the bowling coach of the senior men's national team. The move comes after Walsh's successful stint as Zimbabwe's bowling consultant during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where the team impressed by reaching the Super Eights stage. Walsh, one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history and the first player to claim 500 Test wickets, brings a wealth of experience to the role. His appointment reflects Zimbabwe Cricket's commitment to strengthening its coaching setup and developing a more competitive bowling attack across all formats. Having already worked closely with the Zimbabwe squad as a consultant, Walsh is familiar with the players and the team's long-term goals. His expertise is expected to play a key role in nurturing young fast bowlers while improving the overall consistency and effectiveness of Zimbabwe's bowling unit. Zimbabwe's coaching staff has largely be...

Fast bowler Matthew Fisher is in line to make his One-Day International (ODI) debut after being named in New Zealand's squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting on July 11 . The series marks the beginning of New Zealand's preparations for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup , with selectors aiming to identify the best combinations for the tournament in southern Africa. Regular ODI captain Mitchell Santner returns to lead the side after missing the Bangladesh series due to IPL commitments. He replaces Tom Latham , who captained a second-string New Zealand team in a 2-1 series defeat in Bangladesh earlier this year. Several first-choice players have also returned to the squad, including Daryl Mitchell , Mark Chapman , Michael Bracewell , and pace bowler Jacob Duffy , who missed the recent Test series in England while on paternity leave. Wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay is back as Latham's deputy after Devon Conway was granted leave following the b...

England Test captain Ben Stokes has thrown his full support behind Harry Brook as his successor, saying the Yorkshire batter is the natural choice to take over the leadership role following his stint as vice-captain. Brook, who currently captains England’s white-ball teams, was overlooked for the captaincy during the second Test at The Oval when Stokes was unavailable due to disciplinary reasons. Instead, former skipper Joe Root returned to lead the side for the first time in more than four years, although England suffered a heavy defeat. According to ESPNcricinfo, England’s management is cautious about placing the burden of captaincy across all three formats on a single player. If Brook is appointed as Test captain, he is expected to relinquish leadership duties in at least one of the white-ball formats. Sam Curran and Jacob Bethell have emerged as potential candidates to take over in the limited-overs setup. Stokes, however, believes Brook has all the qualities needed to lead the Tes...

India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has backed the team’s decision to remain patient with teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, insisting the 15-year-old will have to “bide his time and wait” for his international debut despite an extraordinary IPL campaign. Sooryavanshi earned a maiden India T20I call-up after a record-breaking IPL 2026 season in which he amassed 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, finishing as the tournament’s Player of the Tournament. His performances prompted national selectors to fast-track him into the squad, but he has yet to feature in the playing XI during India’s recent T20I series against Ireland. Speaking after the series, ten Doeschate made it clear that while Sooryavanshi is ready for international cricket, the management is unwilling to disrupt an established batting unit based on just two disappointing matches. “He’s absolutely ready to play international cricket, there’s no doubt about that,” ten Doeschate sai...

New Zealand have suffered a major setback ahead of the decisive third Test against England, with key players Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips ruled out due to injuries. The match at Trent Bridge carries huge significance, with the series level and both teams eyeing a crucial victory. Henry, who starred in New Zealand's memorable victory at The Oval with an 11-wicket match haul, has been sidelined after scans revealed a low-grade calf strain. Early assessments indicate a recovery period of two to four weeks, making his absence a significant blow to the visitors' pace attack. Phillips, meanwhile, misses out with a side strain suffered during the second Test. The all-rounder was in excellent form, having scored a maiden Test century in New Zealand's series-leveling win, and his absence weakens both the batting lineup and fielding unit. The injury concerns come on top of New Zealand's decision to rest fast bowler Kyle Jamieson , meaning two of their leading wicket-takers ...