Jacob Duffy's Late Bloom: Record-Breaker Revels in First World Cup at 31

The South Island paceman took 81 wickets for the Black Caps last year, breaking a New Zealand record held by Sir Richard Hadlee for four decades. He has continued his strong form at the T20 World Cup 2026, claiming key wickets in wins over Afghanistan and the UAE.

Duffy's journey to international cricket was far from immediate. He had to wait until he was 26 to make his debut, earning a Player of the Match award after taking four wickets in a T20I against Pakistan. That patience, he says, has been crucial in shaping him into a player capable of thriving under pressure.

"There were so many times I wished I was in the team and I wasn't," Duffy was quoted as saying by ICC. "I have done a lot of A tours and when I finally got a consistent run of games, that was the most important thing. I'd had a series or a game here and there over the years, but to play regularly and be comfortable at that level and prove to yourself you belong at that level is pretty huge. I have 10 or 12 years of experience to call upon and that has served me well. I know my game so well; I know my tactics and my action. I had all those experiences to call upon when push came to shove in those high-pressure moments in international cricket."

"It's not always nice sitting on the sidelines not getting those games but those experiences helped me when I did get there. A big part of it is proving to yourself you are good enough. A lot of sportspeople talk about imposter syndrome and not quite knowing if you are good enough. To prove time and again that you are, not necessarily to dominate, but to have a meaningful impact for New Zealand and hold your own in different formats is a great feeling," he added.

Born in Lumsden, Duffy honed his skills bowling to his two older brothers on a back garden pitch prepared by their father using local Kakanui clay. He believes being the youngest sibling "definitely fast-tracked my progress." Off the field, he and his wife Natasha are preparing to welcome their first child in mid-June.

On the cricketing front, Duffy is set to complete both a World Cup campaign and his maiden IPL season with Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is eager to learn from Josh Hazlewood and share the dressing room with Virat Kohli, while also drawing on tips from fellow Kiwi pacemen Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and Kyle Jamieson.

"One of our greatest strengths is that we all get along so well. We feed off each other pretty well and we all have different attributes. Even just this week, I've been trying to perfect my away swing to the left-hander. Kyle has come out and nailed those sort of balls for the last five or six years, so he is helping me out trying to do that.

"We are all good mates, we are all helping each other out and having a good time doing it. I am very grateful for their companionship," he said.

Having grown up watching World Cups, Duffy says being at the centre of the action is a dream come true.

"That 2015 World Cup was pretty amazing; that got a lot of people into cricket back home, and there was a real buzz after that. The pool game against Australia, Kane (Williamson) hitting the last ball six to win it when we were nine down, then obviously there was the semi-final against South Africa at Eden Park.

"I know people who were there that day, and they still say they have never experienced a crowd with that much energy in it. World Cups are pretty special things and these are the pinnacles you work towards through your career. It's very exciting to be part of it," he concluded.

- IANS