New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry has been forced to withdraw from his team’s upcoming One Day International (ODI) series against Pakistan and India due to an abdominal strain.
Henry sustained the injury during the second Test against Pakistan and showed great determination by continuing to bowl during the final session of the fifth day, as New Zealand managed to reduce Pakistan to nine wickets down, resulting in a draw.
The injury will require Henry to return home with the other members of the Test squad, and New Zealand Cricket has not yet announced a replacement player. In the meantime, Blair Tickner has replaced fellow fast bowler Adam Milne in the white-ball squad due to concerns about Milne’s readiness for 50-over cricket.
The ODI series against Pakistan, set to begin on January 10th, and India, scheduled to start on January 18th, will both feature split squads in order to manage the workload of the players.
Regular captain Kane Williamson and head coach Gary Stead will be in charge of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan, while Tom Latham will serve as captain and batting coach Luke Ronchi will serve as head coach for the three-match ODI series against India.
The ODI series in India will begin in Hyderabad and will be followed by a three-match T20I series, with the first match taking place in Ranchi on January 27th.
