New Zealand announce T20 World Cup squad days before India-tour:Jacob Duffy gets maiden WC call in the spin-heavy Mitchell Santner led side

With less than a week remaining in their India tour, New Zealand cricket board has announced the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. Notably, the team the Black Caps have announced is based on a spin-heavy combination, taking Asia’s spin-friendly pitches into consideration. Meanwhile, pacer Jacob Duffy is set to make his maiden World Cup appearance after making his debut for the national team last year. He has been making headlines past year with his performance and even got selected in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru this year. So he is expected to be the ace bowler of the Black Caps squad for the ICC tournament. Jacob Duffy gets chance after standout 2025 performance Jacob Duffy’s inclusion follows a standout 2025 that firmly established him as a formidable pacer in international cricket. The 31-year-old finished the calendar year with 81 wickets across formats from 36 matches. He averaged just 17 runs per dismissal. He surpassed Sir Richard Hadlee’s 40-year-old national record of 79 wickets in a year and climbed to second place in the ICC T20I bowling rankings. Despite joining a squad stacked with experience, Duffy remains the only player to play in World Cup. Even his performance did not go unnoticed. The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, secured him for ₹2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. Other fast bowlers in the NZ squad set to play are Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, and James Neesham. Meanwhile, Kyle Jamieson has come in as the travelling pace reserve. Mitchell Santner to lead the Black Caps squad for T20 WC All-rounder Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand. The composition of the squad reflects a clear strategy for Indian and Sri Lankan surfaces, with spin depth forming a key pillar. Ish Sodhi is the specialist spinner, aided by Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. Notably, Santner and Sodhi also played the 2016 edition of the tournament, which was played in India. The batting group remains largely settled, with Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman and wicketkeeper Tim Seifert are expected to be the power hitters in the squad. New Zealand eye-keeping their side healthy ahead of big competition New Zealand are monitoring fitness closely in the build-up to the tournament. Allen (finger/hamstring), Chapman (ankle), Ferguson (calf), Henry (calf) and Santner (adductor) are all progressing through individual return-to-play programmes. However, these players are expected to be available when the tournament begins. Ferguson and Henry may also briefly step away during the event, with both players’ partners due to give birth, and short-term paternity leave is likely to be accommodated. Their side is in Group D alongside Afghanistan, South Africa, UAE and Canada, aiming to combine experience, adaptability and depth in another strong global campaign. New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi