Milne, Henry Back in New Zealand T20I Squad for Tri-Series

Adam Milne and Matt Henry have been named to the New Zealand squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Matt Henry eyes comeback after injury. © Getty

Bevon Jacobs, an uncapped batter who participated in the T20 series against Sri Lanka in December, has also secured a spot in the 15-man squad.

Milne's inclusion marks his return to the team since November. Henry is back 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 child. Devon Conway and Mitch Hay are also absent, paving the way for Tim Seifert to take on wicket-keeping duties. Kane Williamson has also made himself unavailable.

The tri-series will be the first assignment for 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."

Walter added, "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."

Walter emphasized that this tour offers a significant opportunity for Jacobs and that Milne's experience will be invaluable 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."

Speaking about Milne, Walter said, "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 pointed out the importance of the tri-series as a preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup next year.

"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