West Indies vs New Zealand ODI series begins July 11, 2026

The West Indies and New Zealand will begin a five-match One-Day International series on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Providence Stadium in Guyana. The series marks the start of New Zealand's tour and serves as a key preparatory step for both teams ahead of the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup in South Africa.

The first match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. local time, which corresponds to 12:00 a.m. IST on Sunday, July 12. The series will see the first three ODIs played in Guyana before moving to Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, for the final two matches on July 19 and July 21.

Both squads feature significant changes, with several established players unavailable. West Indies captain Shai Hope returns to lead a side missing Shimron Hetmyer, who is committed to Major League Cricket, and all-rounder Shamar Springer due to a family bereavement. Keemo Paul has been called into the squad as a replacement. The hosts have also handed a maiden ODI call-up to 19-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner Vitel Lawes, who impressed at the recent Under-19 World Cup.

New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, is also without several key players, including Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, and Devon Conway. Fast...