Auckland, Feb 14 New Zealand pacer Ben Sears has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting from February 19 in Pakistan, with a hamstring injury, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Friday.
"Sears felt some pain in his left hamstring at the team’s first training in Karachi on Wednesday and a subsequent scan revealed a minor tear that would require at least two weeks’ rehabilitation," the NZC said in a statement.
The rehabilitation timeframe means that Sears would likely be available for only the team’s final Group A match against India in Dubai, and so the decision was made to rule him out, it added.
Jacob Duffy, who is already assembled with the team as part of the squad for the ODI Tri-Series against Pakistan and South Africa, will replace Sears in the official Champions Trophy squad.
The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad, and the ICC have approved Duffy's inclusion in the original squad as Sears' replacement.
"The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 has approved Duffy as a replacement for Sears in the New Zealand squad," the ICC said in a statement.
Head coach Gary Stead said the news was bitterly disappointing for Sears. "We’re all really feeling for Ben. It’s always tough being ruled out of a major event at such a late stage, and it’s especially tough in Ben’s case given it would have been his first major ICC event."
“The timeframes for Ben to be fit to play again meant he would likely miss the majority of the group stage, and given the short nature of the tournament, we felt it was appropriate to bring in a player who is fully fit and ready to go. Ben is a player with huge potential and given the short rehabilitation timeframe, we’re sure he’ll be fit and raring to go for the home series against Pakistan back in New Zealand," he added.
Stead called Duffy a strong replacement for Sears in the squad. "Jacob showed with his performances in the recent home series against Sri Lanka that he is more than capable at international level. He’s been part of the squad for the ODI Tri-Series, so he’s fully acclimatised and he’s got plenty of experience in these conditions and is fit and ready to go.
“He's another player who will be experiencing his first senior ICC event, so it will be an exciting few weeks ahead for him," he added.
New Zealand will begin their Champions Trophy campaign in the opening match of the tournament against the hosts Pakistan on February 19 in Karachi.
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