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Key Points

New Zealand has recalled skipper Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe. The squad features uncapped batter Bevon Jacobs and returning pacer Adam Milne while resting several frontline bowlers. New coach Rob Walter emphasized using the series to test combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Black Caps open their campaign against South Africa on July 16 in Harare.

Key Points: New Zealand Recall Santner Phillips Ravindra for T20I Tri-Series

  • Mitchell Santner returns as captain after missing Pakistan series
  • Uncapped Bevon Jacobs gets maiden call-up
  • Adam Milne back in pace attack
  • Series crucial for 2026 T20 World Cup prep
2 min read

New Zealand recall senior stars for T20I tri-series against South Africa, Zimbabwe

Black Caps bring back key players for T20I tri-series vs South Africa and Zimbabwe as new coach Rob Walter eyes World Cup prep

"This series gives us the opportunity to test the breadth of our squad - Rob Walter"

Wellington, June 27

Several key players made their comeback as New Zealand announced a 15-member squad for next month's T20I tri-series featuring South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe, as per the official website of the ICC.

The Black Caps welcomed back the likes of Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, and skipper Mitchell Santner for the tri-series at Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe, after the trio sat out their most recent T20I series against Pakistan on home soil in March.

There is a call-up for uncapped batter Bevon Jacobs and pacer Adam Milne, while pace trio Ben Sears (side injury), Lockie Ferguson (load management) and Kyle Jamieson (family) are all sidelined, as is veteran Kane Williamson (unavailable).

The series will be the first for new Black Caps coach Rob Walter and will form a crucial lead-up for the side ahead of next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

"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, as quoted from the official website of the ICC.

"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 (Indian Premier League)," he added.

"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," Walter said.

Walter is hoping to use the tri-series to help find combinations that can be successful during the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"With the T20 World Cup around the corner, all of our upcoming series are critically important to our build up," he added.

"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's first game in the tri-series is against South Africa in Harare on July 16.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

Here are 6 authentic Indian perspective comments on the New Zealand cricket news:
R
Rahul K.
Good to see NZ taking this series seriously with their main players returning! As an Indian fan, I'm particularly interested to see how Rachin Ravindra performs - he was brilliant in the ODI World Cup here. Hope he carries that form into T20s too 🇮🇳🏏
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Priya M.
Interesting squad selection! Missing Williamson will be a big blow though. Zimbabwe conditions can be tricky - remember how our Indian team struggled there in the past. Hope this series gives good preparation for the World Cup in our subcontinent conditions.
A
Arjun S.
Smart move by NZ to test bench strength before the World Cup. But honestly, without their IPL stars initially, I thought they might field a weaker team. Santner's captaincy will be crucial - he knows subcontinent conditions well from playing in Chennai Super Kings!
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Sneha R.
Excited to see Glenn Phillips back! He's such an explosive batsman - reminds me of our own Suryakumar Yadav in T20s. Hope this tri-series is competitive. Zimbabwe needs more such opportunities to improve their cricket. More matches = better for world cricket!
V
Vikram J.
As an Indian cricket fan, I appreciate NZ's systematic approach to World Cup prep. Our team should also schedule more such competitive series instead of bilateral ones. That said, the real test will be when they play in Indian conditions next year!
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Neha P.
Good initiative by ICC to organize this tri-series! Zimbabwe cricket needs revival and such matches help. Though honestly, I wish India could also play more associate nations regularly. Cricket needs to grow beyond just 4-5 strong teams. #GrowingTheGame

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