New Zealand announce second-string squad for T20Is against Pakistan

Michael Bracewell will lead a depleted New Zealand side in the five-match T20I series against Pakistan starting Sunday, March 16. The first T20I is set to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

New Zealand finished as runners-up in the recently-concluded 2025 Champions Trophy after losing to India in a pulsating final. Bracewell was one of the best performers for the Kiwis in the eight-team tournament. He is one of seven players from the Champions Trophy squad to be picked for the T20Is against the Men in Green. Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, and Will O'Rourke are the other players in the squad who also featured in the Champions Trophy lineup.

Bracewell, who finished with 82 runs and eight wickets from five games in the Champions Trophy, has the experience of playing 27 T20Is. He has contributed 259 runs with the bat and bagged 34 wickets with the ball in hand. The Wellington Firebirds all-rounder will lead the Blackcaps for the first time on home soil in what promises to be an exciting series.

Top stars like Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, and white-ball skipper Mitchell Santner will miss this series as they will be playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 22.

Ish Sodhi has been recalled after missing the recent home series against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Ben Sears has recovered from the torn hamstring which ruled him out of the Champions Trophy last month.

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Jamieson and O'Rourke are a part of the squad for only the first three games as New Zeland Cricket (NZC) is looking to manage the workload of the pacers. Henry, on the other hand, is a part of the side for the fourth and fifth T20Is after missing the Champions Trophy final due to an injury. However, his condition will be assessed first after the Kiwis return home on Wednesday.

Williamson was not considered after he made himself unavailable for the series. Meanwhile, Bevon Jacobs, who was a part of the T20I squad against Sri Lanka, will miss the series due to his commitment in the IPL.

New Zealand squad for T20Is against Pakistan: Michael Bracewell (C), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Matt Henry (Fourth and fifth T20Is only), Kyle Jamieson (First three T20Is only), Will O'Rourke (First three T20Is only), Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.