Milne, Henry Back in New Zealand Tri-Series Squad; Williamson Absent

Adam Milne and Matt Henry are set to rejoin the New Zealand squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe. This announcement brings a mix of experienced players and fresh talent into the national side.

Uncapped batter Bevon Jacobs, who previously featured in the T20 series against Sri Lanka in December, has also secured his place in the 15-member squad.

Matt Henry eyes comeback after recovering from injury. © Getty

Milne's inclusion marks his first appearance since November, while Henry returns 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 for workload management, and Kyle Jamieson is awaiting the birth of his first child. Devon Conway and Mitch Hay are also absent, paving the way for Tim Seifert to take on the wicket-keeping duties. Notably, Kane Williamson has made himself unavailable.

New head coach Rob Walter views this tour as a crucial opportunity. "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," he stated.

Walter also emphasized the value of welcoming back players who missed the Pakistan series in March due to their IPL commitments.

He anticipates a competitive tri-series, acknowledging the strength of South Africa and Zimbabwe's home advantage.

Walter highlighted the significance of this tour for Bevon Jacobs and the experience that Adam Milne brings to the team, especially with 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."

Regarding Milne, 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 stressed the importance of the tri-series in preparation for the upcoming 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 for T20I Tri-Series:

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