New Zealand legspinner Ish Sodhi has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series against South Africa after sustaining a broken thumb during pre-match training ahead of the opening game in Mount Maunganui. Scans confirmed the fracture, which will require approximately four weeks of rehabilitation.
With Lockie Ferguson joining the squad for the second and third matches in Hamilton and Auckland, selectors have decided against calling up a replacement, opting to rely on Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie to cover the spin department.
Head coach Rob Walter said, "Ish is very passionate about playing for New Zealand and was looking forward to performing in front of home fans after the World Cup. He is hugely experienced in the T20 format and will be a significant miss for the remainder of the series.
"We are confident that with Lockie coming in, along with Mitch and Cole, we have adequate cover for the next two matches before the squad transitions for the last two games."
For the final two matches of the series, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver, Jayden Lennox, and Tom Latham will join the squad, with Latham taking over the captaincy from Santner.
New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat in the opening match, being bowled out for 91.
Source: ESPN
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