Fisher set for maiden ODI cap as full-strength NZ gear up for WI tour

New Zealand have named a full-strength squad for their 5-match ODI tour of the West Indies starting July 11 in Guyana, with Matt Fisher in line for his ODI debut.

Maiden ODI call-up: Northern Districts quick Matt Fisher, 26, gets his first ODI selection. He has 43 List A wickets at 26 average and has played 1 Test vs Zimbabwe Aug 2025 and 1 T20I vs Bangladesh Apr 2026. Coach Rob Walter says Fisher “bowls with good pace and has been working hard on variations”.

Full-strength squad returns: Jacob Duffy returns after missing the England Tests for the birth of his child. He’s the reigning Sir Richard Hadlee Medal winner. Bowling group: Pace attack includes Fisher, Duffy, Kristian Clarke, Ben Sears, and Nathan Smith. Leadership & spin: Mitchell Santner resumes as white-ball captain. Spin options include Santner, Michael Bracewell, Jayden Lennox, and Dean Foxcroft. Tom Latham keeps wicket. Experience boost: Bracewell and Mark Chapman add nearly 250 international caps of experience.

The other first-choice players who are back in the ODI squad are batters Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman, spin-bowling allrounder Michael Bracewell, and fast bowler Jacob Duffy, who missed the recent Test series in England while on paternity leave. Mitchell Hay also returns as second wicketkeeper behind Latham.

From the squad that toured Bangladesh, Muhammad Abbas, Adi Ashok, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Will O'Rourke and Blair Tickner have been left out. Senior fast bowlers O'Rourke, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry have been rested following their heavy workloads during the England Test series, while Tickner is due to undergo surgery on his ankle.

Top-order batters Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra will miss the tour too. Conway will fly home from England following the birth of his second child, while Ravindra is unavailable due to his Major League Cricket commitments, as pre-agreed with New Zealand Cricket.

Bottom line: NZ are close to full strength after injury troubles, using the WI series to build depth. Fisher is the new face to watch for a potential debut. Want the full squad list too.

Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitchell Hay (wk), Nick Kelly, Tom Latham (wk), Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Will Young.