By Tim Douglas 
New Zealand bolsters T20I squad ahead of Zimbabwe Tri-Series
New Zealand Cricket has confirmed a reshuffle in its T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe Tri-Series, with Devon Conway, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay, and Tim Robinson called up as reinforcements for the tour in Harare.
The changes come in the wake of Finn Allen’s foot injury, which has ruled him out of the full series. Conway, a seasoned wicketkeeper-batter, will take his place in the squad.
Head coach Rob Walter expressed his disappointment over Allen’s unavailability:
“We’re really gutted for Finn. I was looking forward to seeing him build on his MLC form. But we’re fortunate to bring in someone of Devon’s class.”
Additionally, Neesham, Hay, and Robinson have been drafted in as precautionary cover for Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, and Mark Chapman, who are still engaged in the Major League Cricket (MLC) final, scheduled for Monday.
Walter acknowledged the timing of the MLC final had influenced squad planning:
“We anticipated this overlap and were prepared to expand the group. Mitch, Jimmy, and Tim offer great balance and depth.”
The Blackcaps will open their Tri-Series campaign against South Africa on Wednesday at 11 PM NZT.
New Zealand fans can stream the entire Tri-Series live and free on ThreeNow, with live scoring available via the NZC App and nzc.nz.
This updated squad not only maintains New Zealand’s competitive edge but also offers valuable international exposure to emerging talent.
Victoria Hamilton