New Zealand suffered a major blow ahead of their crucial T20I match against South Africa on Saturday 14th. New Zealand Cricket Board have confirmed that their key player Michael Bracewell has been ruled out for the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to a fresh left calf injury.

The spin all-rounder suffered a calf injury in his left leg when New Zealand toured India for a limited-overs series ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The all-rounder got injured during the third ODI against India last month. He then went through the rehabilitation process and played in the T20 World Cup. But unfortunately, he was injured again in the same area.

New Zealand star Michael Bracewell ruled out of 2026 T20 World Cup

New Zealand Cricket informed that Michael Bracewell was injured again during the warm-up match, forcing him to also withdraw from the game. After necessary scans, the spin bowling all-rounder is expected to resume activity again in a few weeks. The 34-year-old’s injury is a major setback for the Blackcaps.

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New Zealand Cricket said: “Michael Bracewell has recovered from a torn calf he suffered in the third ODI against India last month but re-injured the muscle during the warm-up on Sunday. Subsequent scans confirmed the injury and it is expected to take around three weeks before he can return to action.”

In an official press release, New Zealand Cricket Team head coach Rob Walter said the update hurt him significantly. He wished the veteran cricketer a successful recovery.

“We all feel sorry for Michael Bracewell. It’s really difficult to be left out of the World Cup and I know how much it means to him to play for New Zealand. Michael has worked very hard to give himself a chance but unfortunately has suffered this setback. We wish him well with his recovery,” Rob Walter said in a briefing.

Cole McConchie to head to India

Canterbury Kings captain Cole McConchie will join the national team to replace the injured Michael Bracewell. McConchie will travel to India to join the squad as a substitute alongside pace bowler Ben Sears. For Canterbury Kings, McConchie has enjoyed a successful T20 run in the country as the team’s main wicket-taker. He took 14 wickets for Kings at an economy rate of 7.71.

McConchie is also a spin bowling all-rounder and has represented the country in 6 ODIs and 12 T20Is. In 12 T20I games for New Zealand, he took only 7 wickets but had an impressive economy rate of 7.29. The New Zealand coach believes the addition of McConchie will bring extra credibility to the squad.

Head coach discusses McConchie’s arrival

“Cole is an experienced player. He brings a comprehensive skill set to the team as well as a wealth of T20 experience. It is great to be able to rely on an experienced coach, especially in the World Cup,” the head coach said.

New Zealand Cricket informed through its official website that McConchie would join the team on Friday the 13th.

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