Milne, Henry Earn New Zealand Recall for T20I Tri-Series; Key Players Rested

Adam Milne and Matt Henry are set to make their return to the national side as New Zealand announces its 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Henry is in line for comeback ever since being sidelined after the Champions Trophy. © Getty

Henry's inclusion marks his return from a shoulder injury that has kept him out of action since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Milne, on the other hand, will be playing his first international match since November.

Bevon Jacobs, the uncapped batter who was part of the squad that faced Sri Lanka in three T20s in December, has retained his place in the squad.

Several key players will be missing from the squad. Ben Sears is sidelined with an injury, while Lockie Ferguson is being rested due to workload management. Kyle Jamieson is also unavailable, awaiting the birth of his first child. Devon Conway and Mitch Hay are also absent, with Tim Seifert set to take over the wicket-keeping duties. In addition, Kane Williamson has made himself unavailable for selection.

The tri-series will be the first assignment for new head coach Rob Walter. "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," Walter stated. He further added, "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."

Walter also emphasized the importance of the series, saying, "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."

Regarding the squad selection, Walter highlighted that the tour presents a significant opportunity for the 23-year-old Jacobs. He also noted that Adam Milne's experience will be crucial given the absence of other key pacers.

"Bevon's been an outstanding performer in domestic cricket and has gained some experience in franchise leagues around the world, so it'll be a good chance for him to get back into the squad and potentially play," Walter said.

Speaking about Milne, he added, "Adam's a really skilled T20 bowler, he's particularly proficient with the ball up front and brings that extra pace and bounce. With the likes of Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson out it's great to be able to lean on an experienced head in Adam."

Walter also noted the significance of the tri-series in preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup next year.

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

New Zealand Squad:

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