New Zealand Suffers Another Blow as Lockie Ferguson Gets Injured Ahead of Champions Trophy 2025
In a major setback for the New Zealand team, experienced fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury. His absence leaves a significant gap in the Kiwis’ pace attack, which is already struggling with a lack of experience. Kyle Jamieson has been named as Ferguson’s replacement in the squad.
Ferguson’s injury comes as a double blow for New Zealand, as they had already lost Ben Sears to a hamstring issue earlier. Sears was replaced by Jake Duffy, adding further inexperience to the team’s pace unit. Now, heading into the Champions Trophy, Matt Henry remains the only seasoned pacer in New Zealand’s squad, while the rest of the fast-bowling contingent features relatively new faces.
New Zealand’s Revised Fast Bowling Lineup
With Lockie Ferguson out and Ben Sears also sidelined, New Zealand’s pace attack now consists of:
- Matt Henry (The only experienced pacer)
- Kyle Jamieson (Returning to ODIs after September 2023)
- Jake Duffy
- Nathan Smith
Kyle Jamieson’s inclusion will be closely watched, as he has not played an ODI since September 2023. However, he has been in excellent form in the Super Smash T20 League, where he claimed 14 wickets in 12 innings with an impressive economy rate of 5.95 while playing for Canterbury. Moreover, Jamieson is set to feature in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) as part of Quetta Gladiators, giving him valuable match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy.
New Zealand – A Pre-Tournament Favorite?
Despite these setbacks, New Zealand remains one of the strongest contenders for the Champions Trophy 2025. They have been in excellent form in ODI cricket, recently winning the Tri-Series Final against Pakistan in Karachi. Additionally, they have registered victories over Pakistan and South Africa in ODIs, further solidifying their status as one of the tournament’s favorites.
New Zealand’s Fixtures in Champions Trophy 2025
The Black Caps will kick off their Champions Trophy campaign on:
- February 19 – vs. Pakistan (Karachi)
- February 24 – vs. Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
- March 2 – vs. India (Dubai)
The match against India on March 2 is expected to be one of the most crucial games of the group stage, as both teams are strong contenders for a semi-final spot. With Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand grouped together, the competition for a place in the knockout stage will be intense.
Can New Zealand Overcome Their Injury Setbacks?
With the absence of Lockie Ferguson, the responsibility on Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson will increase significantly. If Jamieson can replicate his Super Smash form in ODIs and young pacers like Nathan Smith and Jake Duffy step up, New Zealand can still pose a formidable challenge.
As the Champions Trophy 2025 approaches, all eyes will be on New Zealand’s new-look pace attack to see if they can maintain their dominance in the 50-over format and push for Champions Trophy title.
