New Zealand will play the remainder of the Zimbabwe cricket series without batsman Dean Brownlie after he was diagnosed with a fractured finger.

Brownlie sustained the fracture on his left hand after he was struck by a ball while fielding against Zimbabwe in Whangarei on Monday.

Black Caps physiotherapist Paul Close said an X-ray on Tuesday evening confirmed the fracture.

“He is expected to miss the remainder of the Zimbabwe series but it’s a bit early to tell how long he will be out,” Close said on Tuesday.

“His return to cricket will be based on how quickly the fracture heals and we should have a clearer idea of the timeframe and best course of treatment after he meets with the orthopaedic surgeon tomorrow.”

Nobody will be added to the remaining squad of 13 for the final one-day international at Napier on Thursday.