Milne, Henry Back in New Zealand Tri-Series Squad; Uncapped Jacobs Gets Call-Up

Bevon Jacobs, the uncapped batter, has secured his place in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe. He was previously included in the T20 series against Sri Lanka in December.

Matt Henry poised for a comeback after injury. © Getty

Adam Milne, the fast bowler, is set to make his first appearance since November. Matt Henry also returns to the team after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Several players are unavailable for selection. Ben Sears is sidelined due to injury. Lockie Ferguson is being rested to manage his workload. Kyle Jamieson is awaiting the birth of his first child. Devon Conway and Mitch Hay are also absent, with Tim Seifert expected to take on wicket-keeping duties. In addition, Kane Williamson has made himself unavailable.

The tour will be the first assignment for the 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.

"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," he added.

Walter also emphasized the competitive nature of the tri-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."

He noted that this tour presents a significant opportunity for Bevon Jacobs. He also highlighted that Adam Milne's experience will be vital given the absence of other pace bowlers.

"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.

Discussing Milne's return, Walter 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 emphasized the importance of the tri-series in preparing for next year's ICC T20 World Cup.

"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