New Zealand Cricket has announced a 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on Sunday in Christchurch. Michael Bracewell will lead the team as regular captain Mitchell Santner is unavailable. Kane Williamson was not considered after making himself unavailable. The squad includes Finn Allen, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodhi and Tim Seifert, who have been recalled.
Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke will play the first three matches as the selectors manage the workloads of pacers returning from the Champions Trophy. Matt Henry, who was the top wicket-taker in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, will feature in the last two games. Last year, Bracewell led the BLACKCAPS on a white-ball tour of Pakistan and shared that he enjoyed the experience.
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“It’s a great honour and a real privilege to captain your country. I really enjoyed leading the side in Pakistan last year and we’ve got many players from that squad included for this series as well, which is nice,” Bracewell said. He acknowledged Mitchell Santner’s contributions as white-ball captain and expressed his focus on building on Santner’s work while ensuring an enjoyable environment for the team.
Bracewell also recognised Pakistan’s strength in T20 cricket. “Pakistan are always a dangerous short-form side with lots of power and pace, and we know they’ll be hurting after an early exit in the Champions Trophy,” he said. The five-match series will take place across different venues, starting in Christchurch on March 16 and concluding in Wellington on March 25.
Full Squad for the Series Includes:
Michael Bracewell (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes (matches 4-5), Mitch Hay, Matt Henry (matches 4-5), Kyle Jamieson (matches 1-3), Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke (matches 1-3), Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert and Ish Sodhi.
T20I Series Dates
1st T20I: Sunday, 16 March, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
2nd T20I: Tuesday 18 March, University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
3rd T20I: Friday 21 March, Eden Park, Auckland
4th T20I: Sunday 23 March, Bay Oval, Tauranga
5th T20I, Wednesday 25 March, Sky Stadium, Wellington
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