New Zealand pacer Matt Henry will leave for home on Friday after the Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against England.
He will stay with his wife for the birth of their second child.
Head coach Rob Walter said that the New Zealand team players and management are excited for the pacer and his wife to welcome their second child.
“Firstly, we`re all very excited for Matt and Holly on the arrival of their second child. It`s a very significant moment for their family and we`re wishing them all the best,” he said in a statement.
In the ongoing global showpiece, the “Black Caps” will qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament only if they manage to defeat England in Colombo.
In case they suffer a defeat, their qualification will then depend on the clash between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which is scheduled to be played on February 28 in Kandy.
“There`s a lot of water to go under the bridge but we`re hopeful that the stars align for the team and for Matt and that we`ll see him back competing in the final phases of the competition,” said Walter.
So far in the Super 8 stage of the marquee event, New Zealand has one victory out of two matches. The “Black Caps” are placed in the second position of Group 2 with a net run rate (NRR) of +3.050 and three points.
On the other hand, South Africa has sealed their semi-final berth from Group 1. The second team from Group 1 to qualify for the semi-final will be decided after the clash between Team India and the West Indies. The match is scheduled to be played on March 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. It will be interesting to see if the “Men in Blue” manage to keep their title defence hopes alive.
New Zealand`s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
(With PTI Inputs)
