New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Tom Blundell will miss the ODI series against Pakistan

New Zealand wicket-keeper batsmen Tom Blundell will miss the upcoming One Day series against Pakistan, as announced by the New Zealand team, due to a left quad strain ahead of their first match in Rawalpindi.

New Zealand wicket-keeper batsmen Tom Blundell will miss the upcoming One Day series against Pakistan, as announced by the New Zealand team, due to a left quad strain ahead of their first match in Rawalpindi.

All-rounder Daryl Mitchell who was selected for only the T20I series will play the One Dayers as well. He will join before the second match after completing the mandatory quarantine requirements. Stand-in coach Glenn Pocknall said in a team statement today that everyone in the team is gutted for Blundell and he’s a quality player with a diverse skill-set. He added that he will remain with the squad and is hopeful that he can make it for the T20I series against Pakistan. Pocknall was disappointed with the fact that with Blundell out, they lose their first choice backup option but was hopeful about the situation, saying that there are several players in the squad with keeping experience and they will do the necessary work at training to be up to speed if they are called upon to do those duties.

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Pocknall and Shane Jurgensen will share coaching duties during the team’s tour to Pakistan as the head coach Gary Stead stayed back in New Zealand. Blundell suffered this injury during the T20I series against Bangladesh where they lost 3-2 to the home side. Team Physio Nishil Shah said that his injury is not quite where they wanted and it was best for him to concentrate on rehab as there was a big summer of cricket ahead.

New Zealand will have three One Day matches against Pakistan in Rawalpindi before moving to Lahore for the five matches T20I series.