Multi Black Caps, NZA cricket teams set to tour
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Matt Fisher, Will O’Rourke, and Blair Tickner have been named among the 15-man squads to take on Bangladesh in a white-ball series later this month.
The trio of fast bowlers are set to return to international cricket following injuries that kept them sidelined to varying degrees throughout the home summer.
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O’Rourke (back) comes back into the national side for the three ODIs, Fisher (shin) returns for the T20Is, and Tickner (ankle) has been named in both squads.
New Zealand Head Coach Rob Walter said it was pleasing to see the return of several players.
“Will, Blair and Matt have been working very hard over the past few months to get themselves back on the park and back in contention for selection and we’re pleased to welcome them back into the group.
“With the amount of cricket being played in the modern game, having depth in our bowling stocks is key. Having players of this quality come back is great for our side.”
Off-spinning allrounder Dean Foxcroft has earned his recall to the white-ball side since his most recent T20I cap in April 2024.
After returning to play for the Central Stags for the 2025-26 season, Foxcroft played a pivotal role in the team’s Ford Trophy final qualification, finishing as the competitions fourth-highest run scorer.
Test Captain Tom Latham will lead the side, with regular white-ball captain Mitch Santner unavailable due to his commitments with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
Muhammad Abbas (ODI), Adithya Ashok (ODI), Kristian Clarke (ODI and T20), and Ben Sears (ODI and T20I) will join the Black Caps squad fresh off the NZ A one-day series in Sri Lanka.
Kristian Clarke and Jayden Lennox are in line to get their second taste of ODI cricket after the historic away series win against India in January.
Clarke and Lennox both enjoyed success with the ball in India, with the former taking 7 wickets across three matches (notably, Virat Kohli twice, Shreyas Iyer twice, and Rohit Sharma once) and the latter returning an impressive economy rate of just 4.20 across his 20 overs in the series.
Black Caps ODI Squad to Bangladesh
Tom Latham (C) Canterbury
Muhammad Abbas Wellington Firebirds
Adithya Ashok Auckland Aces
Kristian Clarke Northern Districts
Josh Clarkson Central Stags
Dane Cleaver Central Stags
Dean Foxcroft Central Stags
Nick Kelly Wellington Firebirds
Jayden Lennox Central Stags
Henry Nicholls Canterbury
Will O’Rourke Canterbury
Ben Sears Wellington Firebirds
Nathan Smith Wellington Firebirds
Blair Tickner Central Stags
Will Young Central Stags
Black Caps T20I Squad to Bangladesh
Tom Latham (C) Canterbury
Katene Clarke Northern Brave
Kristian Clarke Northern Brave
Josh Clarkson Central Stags
Dane Cleaver Central Stags
Matt Fisher Northern Brave
Dean Foxcroft Central Stags
Bevon Jacobs Auckland Aces
Nick Kelly Wellington Firebirds
Jayden Lennox* Central Stags
Tim Robinson Wellington Firebirds
Ben Sears Wellington Firebirds
Nathan Smith Wellington Firebirds
Ish Sodhi Canterbury Kings
Blair Tickner Central Stags
*Potential format debut
Rob Walter will be joined by Wellington Blaze Head Coach Jonny Bassett-Graham, Canterbury Men’s Assistant Coach Brendon Donkers, and Otago Men’s Head Coach Josh Tasman-Jones for the tour.
The New Zealand side depart on Monday 13 April, with the first ODI starting Friday 17 April at 8pm (NZT).
Nine players with international experience have been named across the New Zealand A (NZ A) squads to tour Sri Lanka later this month.
The tour comprises three one-day matches and two four-day matches across Galle and Hambantota, starting April 5.
Eight Black Caps feature in the NZ A one-day squad in Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Mitch Hay, Ben Lister, Rhys Mariu, Ben Sears, and Tim Robinson.
Abbas, Ashok, Clarke, and Sears will depart the A tour to join the top ODI squad in Bangladesh, with Robinson also departing after the first red-ball game to join the main T20I squad.
The red-ball squad will be bolstered by four pace-bowlers in Black Capslatest Test debutant Michael Rae, Otago’s Jarrod McKay, and Canterbury’s Fraser Sheat, along with allrounders Auckland Aces’ Ryan Harrison and Wellington Firebirds’ Peter Younghusband.
Maiden NZ A call-ups have been earned by Harrison, McKay, Sheat, and Younghusband, as well as Auckland Aces’ Rohit Gulati, after impressive performances for their provinces throughout the season.
Harrison’s 18 wickets and over 300 runs during this season’s Plunket Shield campaign place him third and sixth on Auckland’s wickets and runs tally respectively.
Sheat (28 wickets) and Gulati (27 wickets) lead their respective provinces this season for wickets taken.
NZ A to Sri Lanka One Day Squad
Muhammad Abbas Wellington Firebirds
Adithya Ashok Auckland Aces
Matthew Boyle Canterbury
Max Chu Otago Volts
Kristian Clarke Northern Districts
Rohit Gulati Auckland Aces
Mitch Hay Canterbury
Curtis Heaphy Central Stags
Simon Keene Auckland Aces
Ben Lister Auckland Aces
Rhys Mariu Canterbury
Dale Phillips Auckland Aces
Tim Pringle Northern Districts
Tim Robinson Wellington Firebirds
Ben Sears Wellington Firebirds
NZ A to Sri Lanka First-Class Squad
Matthew Boyle Canterbury
Max Chu Otago Volts
Rohit Gulati Auckland Aces
Ryan Harrison Auckland Aces
Mitch Hay Canterbury
Curtis Heaphy Central Stags
Simon Keene Auckland Aces
Ben Lister Auckland Aces
Rhys Mariu Canterbury
Jarrod McKay Otago Volts
Dale Phillips Auckland Aces
Tim Pringle Northern Districts
Michael Rae Canterbury
Tim Robinson Wellington Firebirds – first match only
Fraser Sheat Canterbury
Peter Younghusband Wellington Firebirds
