Overview
- Captain Mitchell Santner said Duffy will be the pace ‘front man’ as New Zealand start the five‑match series on Saturday, July 11.
- Several first‑choice quicks have been rested after Test duties and Ben Sears was ruled out with an ankle injury, with Ben Lister called into the 16‑player squad as his replacement.
- Duffy returns from paternity leave on the back of strong recent form, including nine IPL wickets in 2026 and a record 81 wickets in calendar 2025.
- New Zealand will rotate bowlers across three ODIs at Providence Stadium in Guyana and two at Kensington Oval in Barbados to cope with hot, sticky Caribbean conditions and a tight schedule.
- The tour gives uncapped and fringe seamers game time to press for future selection and lets New Zealand test depth and recovery plans ahead of upcoming ICC events.