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Ben Lister, Chad Bowes named in New Zealand ODI squad amid IPL absentees

Ben Lister became the first Covid replacement player Getty Images

Chad Bowes and Ben Lister are the two uncapped players in New Zealand's extended squad for this month's ODI series against Sri Lanka, with a host of regulars missing due to a clash with the IPL.

Lister, who plays for Auckland Aces, enters the 50-over set-up after making his T20I debut in India last month, while Bowes could make his international debut after top-scoring for Canterbury across white-ball formats this season, with 373 List A runs at 46.63 to date, and a further 359 at 39.89 in T20s.

The squad will be led by Tom Latham, but will be lacking a number of senior players, including Kane Williamson, Tim Southee and Devon Conway - all of whom are playing in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka - as well as the left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.

Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Glenn Phillips will be available for the first ODI at Eden Park on March 25, but will fly to India thereafter. Lister will then link up with the squad ahead of the second ODI in Christchurch, alongside Mark Chapman and Henry Nicholls.

"It's always exciting as a coach to have new players in the environment and to have players putting their hands up to be selected again in a particular format," Gary Stead, New Zealand's head coach, said.

"Chad has been impressive for a number of seasons at the top of the order for Canterbury as well as being an excellent fielder.

"We are set to play 16 white-ball matches between now and the start of May so there will be a number of chances for players to test themselves in familiar and unfamiliar conditions."

The series will also mark a return to the white-ball set-up for Will Young and Tom Blundell, who has been one of New Zealand's stand-out players in Test cricket in the past 12 months, but has not played a limited-overs international since the tour of Bangladesh in September 2021.

"Tom Blundell, in particular, is someone who we've been hugely impressed by in international cricket over the past 18 months as a leader in the Test team and then domestically with the Wellington Firebirds," Stead said. "It's an exciting opportunity for Tom ahead of a big year of white-ball cricket."

ODI Squad to face Sri Lanka Tom Latham (capt), Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young