WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan with a hamstring tear.

Sears suffered the injury in training in Karachi on Wednesday. Scan results have shown a minor tear which would keep Sears out of action for two weeks.

It is the latest setback for the 27-year-old Sears who only recently returned from a knee injury.

Sears’ place in the New Zealand squad has been taken by traveling reserve Jacob Duffy.

“We’re all really feeling for Ben,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “It’s always tough being ruled out of a major event at such a late stage and it’s especially tough in Ben’s case given it would have been his first major ICC event.

New Zealand pace bowler Ben Sears is out of the Champions Trophy with a hamstring tear | iNFOnews.ca — New Zealand’s Ben Sears bowls during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

“The time frames for Ben to be fit to play again meant he would likely miss the majority of the group stage and given the short nature of the tournament we felt it was appropriate to bring in a player who is fully fit and ready to go.”

New Zealand is drawn with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in the eight-team tournament which begins Wednesday with a match between New Zealand and Pakistan.