New Zealand has announced its 14-member squad for the upcoming KFC T20I series against the West Indies, set to kick off Wednesday night at Eden Park, Auckland. The announcement sees the return of key players Kyle Jamieson and Ish Sodhi, alongside the potential debut of uncapped all-rounder Nathan Smith from the Wellington Firebirds.
Jamieson rejoins the team after recovering from a side injury that kept him out of the ODI series against England. Sodhi also makes his comeback to the T20I setup, having last played against Australia in October. This five-match series is a vital preparatory step for New Zealand as coach Rob Walter looks to finalize his preliminary squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka next February.
Coach Rob Walter expressed his enthusiasm for the returning players and new face: “Kyle’s been back bowling this week and is tracking nicely for this series. Nathan’s made an impressive start to his international career in the Test and ODI formats and we back him to do the job if he gets his T20 chance in this series. Ish is our most capped T20I player and it’s always great to be able to add his skills, energy and experience to the group.”
Walter also noted the absence of pacer Matt Henry, who will miss the series for a planned conditioning program following a calf strain. Notably, veteran Kane Williamson will not be available, having announced his retirement from T20 Internationals earlier in the day.
The Blackcaps will also be without several other significant players due to injuries, including Finn Allen (foot), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (ankle), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Ben Sears (hamstring).
The West Indies team is expected to arrive in New Zealand on Sunday, embarking on an extensive tour that includes five T20Is, three ODIs, and a three-Test series leading up to Christmas.
The full squad includes: Mitchell Santner (C), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (wk), Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi