New Zealand’s all-around player Tom Latham has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan after suffering a fractured right hand during training. His absence is a major blow for the team, as he is one of their most experienced players in the format.

With Tom sidelined, T20I captain Michael Bracewell is set to lead the squad in the series. The Black Caps also called on Henry Nicholls, who has 78 ODI caps and a strong recent form, and Mitchell Hay, who will take over wicket-keeping duties.

The squad's opener, Will Young, will play in the first game but has to sit out for the next ones to be with his pregnant wife, awaiting the birth of their child. Rhys Mariu will assume Young’s place as his maiden batting cover.

New Zealand will face Pakistan in a three-match ODI series, starting on Saturday, March 29.

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England is beginning their International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy campaign without Jacob Bethel for the rest of the season due to injury. Tom Banton steps in as a replacement, confirming his return to the national team for the tournament. He’s playing in the third One Day International (ODI) against Team Australia on the 22nd of February.

Tom Banton's possible contribution to the squad

Wicket-keeper batsman Tom Banton is replacing batting all-rounder Jacob Bethel in the English Team. He hasn’t been on the national team since 2020 after facing stiff competition among other English cricketers. In the meantime, he’s batted mostly for Twenty20 International (T20I) where he’s shown a strong performance as the leading run-scorer. 

However, he’s mostly renowned for his participation in limited-over formats instead of longer cricket. England has often favoured Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler for the roles he’s expected to fill. Now with Jacob Bethel injured and out for the season, Team England had to recall their Tom Banton. 

Adding another batter, especially one from the T20 format, gives England a more aggressive playstyle for the 50-over format. He is speculated to be a strong opening batsman specialising in powerplay. It’s a great opportunity to overwhelm Australia which is currently missing key players like captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Mitchel Marsh.

Jacob Bethel's injury and other status update on the ODI

Jacob Bethel suffered a left hamstring injury during the ODI series against India at the 3rd ODI on the 12th of February 2025. It was so bad that he was ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy but he will have further assessment at Ahmedabad when the team arrives on Monday. It was unfortunate for the team but they lost the game to Team India who is now leading the series by 1-0 lead. 

Tom Banton's first game is on 22nd February 

The game with Australia will be at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. There were other names considered before they eventually chose Tom Banton including Finn Allen, the New Zealand wicket-keeper with over 160 strike rate. Kyle Mayers was also mentioned for his flexibility. 

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England suffered a heavy 142-run defeat against India in the third and final ODI played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this loss, India won the series 3-0. England struggled in both batting and bowling, showing the same problems seen throughout the tour.

Chasing 356, England collapsed to 214 all out in just 34.2 overs. Tom Banton, brought in to replace the injured Jacob Bethell in England’s Champions Trophy squad, managed to score 38 runs. However, poor shot selection haunted England’s batters once again. Ben Duckett, who appeared to be carrying a groin injury, was dismissed cheaply.

India’s bowlers made things difficult for England, with Axar Patel (2-22) and Harshit Rana (2-31) taking key wickets. England’s batting woes were clear again, and they had no answer to India’s strong bowling attack.

This defeat follows England’s 4-1 loss in the T20 series. Their next match is against Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy on February 22. They have a lot of improvements to make before they can bounce back.

England’s batting problems continue

England’s batting struggles were evident throughout the series. In eight matches, they were bowled out six times, showing major problems in handling both spin and pace. Their inability to handle these issues showed weaknesses in the lineup. 

Duckett and Phil Salt gave England a good start with a 60-run opening partnership. However, Duckett played a bad shot and was dismissed by Ardeep Singh. Salt soon followed, carelessly losing his wicket. Joe Root and Banton built another decent stand, taking England to 126-2, from there, things fell apart.

India’s spinners took control. Kuldeep Yadav got Banton out, while Axar Patel bowled Root. Jos Buttler and Harry Brook hit the ball onto their stumps while facing Harshit’s pace. England kept losing wickets quickly. From that point, there was no hope of a successful chase.

England’s struggles against spin are a major issue. Across this tour, they have lost 42 wickets to spinners at a very low average of 17.6 runs per dismissal. If they don’t improve, they will continue to lose in subcontinent conditions.

India’s batting sets the standard

India showed England how to bat with a patient yet calculated approach. Shubman Gill led with 112 from 102 balls. Shreyas Iyer (78) and Virat Kohli (52) also made crucial contributions.

India didn’t rush in the powerplay, reaching 52-1. But after that, they increased their scoring, punishing England’s weak bowling attack.

England’s bowlers had some good moments. Adil Rashid took 4-64, including a brilliant delivery to dismiss Hardik Pandya. Mark Wood also impressed well, taking 2-45. But England lacked variety and control in their bowling, which allowed India to reach 356 runs.

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