New Zealand legspinner Ish Sodhi has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series against South Africa with a broken thumb.
Sodhi was struck while bowling at training ahead of the opening match in Mount Maunganui and scans revealed a break that will require four weeks rehabilitation.
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With Lockie Ferguson linking up with the squad for the second and third matches in Hamilton and Auckland the selectors have opted against calling up a replacement, backing Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie to fulfil the spin needs.
“Ish is very passionate about playing for New Zealand and we know he was looking forward to turning out in front of home fans after the World Cup campaign,” head coach Rob Walter said. “He is hugely experienced in the T20 format and so will be a big miss for the remainder of the series.
“We’re confident with Lockie coming in, as well as Mitch and Cole that we have appropriate cover for the next two matches, before the squad transitions for the last two matches.”
Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver, Jayden Lennox and Tom Latham will join the squad for the last two matches of the series with Latham taking over the captaincy from Santner.
New Zealand were comfortably beaten in the opening match when they were bundled out for 91.