New Zealand has chosen a 15-man squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe, as part of their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Notably, Kane Williamson, the former captain, will miss the series. Williamson has withdrawn from the tour due to his continued county commitments with Middlesex and his participation in The Hundred with London Spirit.

This tour is also the first significant assignment for newly recruited head coach Rob Walter, who has underlined the significance of the series in the BlackCaps’ World Cup campaign.

“I believe we have a really strong squad for this tour, and I’m looking forward to getting everyone together and getting to work.” With the T20 World Cup around the corner, all of our future series are vital to our preparation. This series allows us to put our roster to the test, to try out new players and combinations against some high-quality opponents,” he remarked, as reported by.

Apart from Williamson, pacers Lockie Ferguson (resting), Ben Sears (side strain), and Kyle Jamieson (waiting for the birth of his child) are absent from the team. Star hitter Devon Conway and wicketkeeper Mitch Hay are also unavailable, with Tim Seifert poised to take over behind the posts.

Bevon Jacobs expected to make debut

Meanwhile, the squad will be led by Mitchell Santner, with all-rounders Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra also in the mix. Interestingly, both of them are returning after missing the March series against Pakistan due to the 2025 IPL. Pacer Adam Milne also makes a return to the squad for the first time since November.

Speedster Matt Henry will be excited to make a comeback after recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him out since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The 23-year-old uncapped batter Bevon Jacobs, who previously toured with the squad against Sri Lanka, retains his spot and is expected to make his debut.