New Zealand suffer colossal blow as star all-rounder still not fit for T20 World Cup 2026
Published - 04 Feb 2026, 10:46 AM | Updated - 04 Feb 2026, 11:34 PM
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The New Zealand cricket team is bracing itself for an exciting run in the T20 World Cup 2026 despite their poor performance against India in the recently concluded 5-match T20I series, where the Kiwis lost the contest by a 1-4 margin.
New Zealand could make some excuses for their better-to-forget run against India, as they are barely able to put their strongest possible playing eleven for a match. They came close to naming all of their star players against India for the 5th match of the series, but injury concerns never let this happen. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the team management of New Zealand has high hopes for their players as they are on the way to recovering their full fitness.
New Zealand monitoring closely Mitchell Bracewell's development
It is reported that the experienced all-rounder Michael Bracewell is also recovering well after sustaining a calf injury. The Blackcaps believe that he could be ready to go before the beginning of the tournament. New Zealand will play a warm-up match against the USA in Mumbai, where Bracewell is expected to feature for the national side. He will have to prove his fitness in this match.
"I mean, his progression has been really good, and he's made good progress. Certainly everything seems to be on track for the warm-up game against the USA," New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said.
Injuries disrupted New Zealand's plans
Another proven all-rounder, James Neesham, who was on the verge of playing the India vs. New Zealand 5th T20I, missed the match as he fell ill. To maintain the balance of the playing eleven, the New Zealand team management needed to rush back to Lockie Ferguson, who also had an injury issue. But he looked in good shape as he took the wickets of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in the fight match with his well-known quick deliveries on the flat surface.
Concerns remain over Neesham, as the all-rounder hasn't played for the Black Caps since November 2025. Though he remained active in franchise T20 tournaments. He played notably well in the Bangladesh (BPL) and UAE (ILT20).
The head coach felt that the cricketer could translate his ongoing form into the T20 World Cup 2026 as well for the New Zealand cricket team.
James Neesham also under scrutiny
"Jimmy, who was a bit ill at the back end of this competition, was obviously very much involved in the Bangladesh Premier League all the way through to winning a final," Walter said.
"So our guys have been very active from a T20 point of view, mostly involved in the series as well. So from a preparation point of view, I feel like we can't really afford to feel unready."
New Zealand will start their World Cup campaign on February 8 with the match against Afghanistan before facing UAE, South Africa, and Canada, respectively.
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New Zealand National Cricket Team Michael Bracewell ICC T20 World Cup James Neesham Rob WalterAbout the Author
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