The New Zealand batsman has been struggling with a groin injury.
The fears surrounding “Daryl Mitchell” have now come true. The New Zealand batter has been ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against the West Indies.
Last Sunday in Christchurch, Mitchell rescued his team with a brilliant century. On a tough wicket, he scored a superb 119, but picked up a groin strain during the innings. From that moment, doubts began to grow about his availability for the final two matches of the series.
New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Tuesday that Mitchell has been ruled out.
The 34-year-old is one of the team’s most reliable batting pillars. In just 56 ODIs, he has already hit 7 centuries and 11 fifties. His batting average stands at 53.13, with a strike rate of 93.85.
With Mitchell’s participation in doubt, the Kiwis called up Henry Nicholls for the second ODI. He will now remain in the squad for the next match as well.
To earn a spot in the playing XI, Nicholls will have to compete with Mark Chapman, the left-handed batsman already in the squad. Chapman has played four ODIs this year, scoring one century and two fifties. His last ODI innings was a superb 132 off 111 balls against Pakistan. However, due to team balance, the 31-year-old hasn’t been able to secure a regular place in the XI.
New Zealand lead the series 1–0 after winning the first ODI by 7 runs. The next match will be held on Wednesday in Napier, with the third and final ODI scheduled for Saturday.
