Kane Williamson and Nathan Smith have been named in New Zealand’s 14-player squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England.
Published: October 20, 2025 1:01 AM IST
Kane Williamson and Nathan Smith have been included in New Zealand’s 14-man squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England. Both players were last seen during the Champions Trophy final against India in March but missed the early part of the home season due to injuries.
Why was Kane Williamson on break?
Williamson has been recovering from a minor health concern over the past month, while Smith has been out with an abdominal injury he picked up during the first Test against Zimbabwe in August. They now return to a seasoned squad led by captain Mitchell Santner. The only new face not part of the Champions Trophy squad is 23-year-old Zak Foulkes.
What are the lineups?
The pace attack remains the same as in the recent T20 series against England, featuring Foulkes, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson, and Matt Henry. Among the all-rounders are Santner, Smith, Michael Bracewell, and Rachin Ravindra. Williamson joins a strong batting line-up that includes Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, and Will Young. Tom Latham will take the gloves as the team’s wicketkeeper-batsman.
A number of key players are missing due to injuries: Finn Allen (foot), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Ben Sears (hamstring) are all unavailable.
Head coach Rob Walter said it was great to have Williamson and Smith back in the squad.
“Kane and Nathan have had to work hard to overcome their respective injuries and illness. We all know what Kane means to the BLACKCAPS – to have his skill, experience and leadership back in the group is fantastic,” he said.
“Nathan’s still relatively new to his international career, but he’s impressed with his all-round skills and ability in the field.”
Walter, set to coach the ODI team for the first time, said he’s excited about the group.
“The ODI side has been very successful for a long period of time, as the current ICC ranking of number two suggests,” he said.
“We have an experienced core of players and as a team are very clear on how we want to play. This is very much the start of our journey to the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2027 and I know the group are excited to get going in this series against a quality England side.”
The New Zealand team will assemble in Tauranga two days before the first ODI on October 26. The second match will be played in Hamilton on October 29, and the final game is set for November 1 in Wellington.
How does the New Zealand squad look?
Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
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