Islamabad, 25 March 2025: New Zealand has named its squad for the ODI series against Pakistan, set to begin on March 29 at McLean Park in Napier.
The much-awaited three-match series will also feature matches in Hamilton and Mount Maunganui.
Nick Kelly and Muhammad Abbas have received their maiden BLACKCAPS call-ups. Captain Kelly has been in top form, scoring 1,307 runs in the 2024-25 season.
Nick Kelly is expected to open the innings alongside Will Young after delivering a strong domestic campaign, which included a List A century against Canterbury.
Abbas, a 21-year-old all-rounder, impressed in the Ford Trophy, scoring 340 runs at an average of 42.50.
Born in Pakistan, he moved to New Zealand as a child and has continued to develop as a promising left-arm pace-bowling all-rounder.
His selection follows a strong performance for New Zealand A against Australia A last year.
With several key players unavailable due to the ongoing IPL commitments, the squad balances emerging talent with experienced names.
Auckland Aces leg-spinner Adi Ashok has also been included after making his ODI debut against Bangladesh last year.
Tom Latham will captain the side, leading a squad that retains eight members from the team that played in the ICC Champions Trophy final earlier this year.
Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman will add strength to the batting lineup, while Michael Bracewell will handle the spin-bowling all-rounder duties.
Fast bowler Will O’Rourke returns after a short break and will lead the pace attack alongside Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith, and Ben Sears.
Matt Henry remains sidelined due to injury, while Kyle Jamieson has been rested as part of workload management.
Kane Williamson was not considered for selection after making himself unavailable for the series.
