New Zealand name pace-heavy squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Mitchell Santner will lead the Black Caps after taking over the captaincy from Kane Williamson, who is also part of the 15-man squad.

Fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears have been recalled to New Zealand’s 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 set to be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in February and March.

Seamers Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke will play their first global tournament as the Black Caps named a pace-packed lineup on Sunday.

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner will lead the 15-man squad after being appointed the white-ball captain last month, while Matt Henry will lead the pace attack after the international retirements of stalwarts Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

Santner, Kane Williamson, and Tom Blundell are the only survivors of the New Zealand squad from the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017.

The batting lineup is strong, with Devon Conway, Will Young, Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell and Williamson providing depth and experience.

Ready for Pakistan and UAE 🏏 #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/Q4tbhqm0xi

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 11, 2025

“We’re currently blessed with a lot of quality players and that certainly made for some challenging selection discussions,” coach Gary Stead said.

“We’ve gone with the squad that will offer us the best options to perform well in the expected conditions in Pakistan and the UAE.”

Ferguson is no longer contracted to New Zealand Cricket and he missed the series against Sri Lanka while playing in Australia’s Big Bash League.

Sears returns from a knee injury that kept him out of action for much of last year, while O’Rourke and Smith impressed in the recent Test series against England and the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka that followed.

Jacob Duffy, who was outstanding in the T20 and one-day international series against Sri Lanka, has been named a travelling reserve.

The Black Caps will play warm-up matches against Pakistan, South Africa and Afghanistan in Karachi and Lahore before the tournament gets under way on February 19.

New Zealand will prepare for the tournament with a warm-up tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa in Karachi and Lahore and a warm-up match against Afghanistan in Karachi.

The Champions Trophy is contested by the top eight ODI men’s teams in world cricket.

New Zealand were the first winners of the tournament in 2000.

Squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.