SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT
Henry is in line for comeback ever since being sidelined after the Champions Trophy. © Getty
Uncapped batter Bevon Jacobs, who was also a part of the squad that faced Sri Lanka in three T20s in December, has retained his spot in the New Zealand 15-member squad announced for the upcoming T20I tri-series involving South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe.
Fast bowler Adam Milne returns to the side for the first time since November along with Matt Henry, who makes a return following a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Meanwhile, Ben Sears is unavailable due to injury, Lockie Ferguson has been rested citing workload management and Kyle Jamieson is unavailable as he awaits the birth of his first child. Devon Conway and Mitch Hay miss out with Tim Seifert set to take the gloves. Additionally, Kane Williamson is another notable absentee having made himself unavailable for selection.
The tour marks new head coach Rob Walter’s first assignment. “I think we’ve got a really strong squad for this tour and I’m looking forward to getting the team together and getting into the work,” he said.
“We’ve got some good experience in the side and it’s nice to be able to welcome back a few of the players who missed the March series against Pakistan because of the IPL.
“It should be a great T20 Tri Series with South Africa who are a very strong side and Zimbabwe who play well at home in their own conditions,” he added.
Walter noted that the tour will be a great opportunity for the 23 year-old Jacobs and that Adam Milne’s experience will be crucial in the absence of the other pacers.
“Bevon’s been an outstanding performer in domestic cricket and has gained some experience in franchise leagues around the world, so it’ll be a good chance for him to get back into the squad and potentially play.
“Adam’s a really skilled T20 bowler, he’s particularly proficient with the ball up front and brings that extra pace and bounce. With the likes of Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson out it’s great to be able to lean on an experienced head in Adam,” he said.
Walter also highlighted the tri-series’ importance in the lead up to next year’s ICC T20 World Cup.
“With the T20 World Cup around the corner, all of our upcoming series are critically important to our build up. This series gives us the opportunity to test the breadth of our squad, explore different players and potentially different combinations against some quality opposition,” he said.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (C), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchel, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi
© Cricbuzz
