Nathan Smith, a young all-rounder for New Zealand, is now unable to play in the second and final game of the current Test series against Zimbabwe due to an abdominal strain.
The BlackCaps have for the first time included young bowler and useful batter Zakary Foulkes in the Test squad to cover his void. Thirteen of Foulkes’ 14 international appearances for New Zealand have been in the game’s shortest format.
Interestingly, this marks the New Zealand team’s third injury setback in the two-game series. Tom Latham, the team’s long-time captain, was previously sidelined because of a shoulder ailment. Star all-rounder Glenn Phillips had to leave the team a short while ago because to a groin injury he sustained during the just finished Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 in the US.
With 15 wickets in 13 games and an economy rate well below 8.00, the 23-year-old Foulkes has made a strong start to his international career. In his seven batting appearances, his strike-rate has stayed at an impressive 143.90. If he gets the chance to play in the second match against the Chevrons, he will discover that the dynamics of Test cricket are entirely different.
Kiwis are up 1-0.
In relation to the forthcoming match, the second Test is set to begin at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on August 7. With their victory in the first game at the same location, the visitors have already seized an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the series. They defeated the hosts’ 8-run objective in the fourth innings, making the victory merely a formality.
New Zealand’s updated squad for the 2025 second test match against Zimbabwe
Ajaz Patel, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, Ben Lister, Will Young, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke, Mitchell Santner, Mitchell Hay, and Devon Conway
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