Lister steps in as Sears suffers injury ahead of West Indies ODI series

New Zealand have been forced into a late squad change ahead of their 5-match ODI series vs West Indies starting July 11, 2026.

Ben Sears ruled out: Fast bowler Ben Sears has an ankle injury and will miss the West Indies ODIs. He’d been managing pain since the 4-day Test vs Ireland in May, and it flared up on the final day of the 3rd Test vs England at Trent Bridge. NZC sent him home for treatment as a precaution.

Ben Lister called up: Left-arm seamer Ben Lister replaces Sears in the 16-man squad. Lister, 30, made his ODI debut vs Pakistan in Karachi in 2023. He’s played 17 times for NZ across ODIs and T20Is with 17 wickets, and was in the last ODI squad vs Bangladesh in April. He’ll join the team in Guyana.

Sears had experienced some ongoing pain in his ankle since the four-day Test against Ireland in May, and it flared up during the final day of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge, which New Zealand won to take the series 2-1. The decision to withdraw him from the ODIs in the Caribbean and send him home "for further treatment" is "precautionary", as New Zealand Cricket put it.

Lister, who made his ODI debut in 2023, has featured four times in the format, picking up six wickets. He was in the squad the last time New Zealand played ODIs, away against Bangladesh in April.

Injuries to key fast bowlers have been a major concern for New Zealand in recent times.

Jacob Duffy, who missed the recent Test series in England while on paternity leave, has returned to the ODI squad for the West Indies, but Blair Tickner has had to sit this one out to undergo surgery on his ankle. Senior fast bowlers Will O'Rourke, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry have been rested for the series following their heavy workloads during the England Tests.

Other absentees: Blair Tickner out for ankle surgery, while Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, and Will O’Rourke are rested after heavy workloads. Pace attack: Lister joins Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith, Kristian Clarke and Matt Fisher. Mitchell Santner captains, with Michael Bracewell and Jayden Lennox as spin options.

Apart from Duffy, the squad now has in its fast-bowling attack Nathan Smith, Kristian Clarke, Matt Fisher and Lister, with frontline spin options in returning captain Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Jayden Lennox.

The first three ODIs will be played in Providence, Guyana, on July 11, 13 and 16, and the fourth and fifth games at Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 19 and 21.