New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell is set to captain New Zealand in the upcoming five-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on March 16 in Christchurch.
This series marks a significant moment for Bracewell as it will be his first time captaining the team on home soil. He previously led New Zealand against Pakistan last year.Â
The New Zealand team will see several changes for this series with only seven players from the Champions Trophy 2025 squad participating due to their commitments in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Full-time captain Mitchell Santner will also be busy playing the IPL.
However, the squad will be bolstered by the return of Tim Seifert, Finn Allen and James Neesham. Ish Sodhi has also been recalled to the team and Ben Sears is back after recovering from a hamstring injury.Â
Kyle Jamieson and William O'Rourke will only be available for the first three games of the series to manage their workload.
Bracewell expressed his pride and excitement about captaining his country, stating:
"It’s a great honour and a real privilege to captain your country. I really enjoyed leading the side in Pakistan last year, and we’ve got many players from that squad included for this series as well, which is nice," Bracewell said as quoted in the press release issued by the New Zealand Cricket.
"Mitch Santner’s done a great job since taking over as white-ball captain and I’ll really just be trying to build on his good work and create an enjoyable environment for the guys to perform in," he added.
He also acknowledged the challenge that Pakistan pose, mentioning:
"Pakistan are always a dangerous short-form side with lots of power and pace and we know they’ll be hurting after an early exit in the Champions Trophy."
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New Zealand Aiming to Rebound After Champions Trophy 2025 Heartbreak
Bracewell addressed the team's recent performance in the Champions Trophy final, where the Black Caps suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of India.
"For the guys coming back from Dubai, there’s obviously a level of disappointment, but also a lot of pride in the way we were able to perform and represent New Zealand."
Despite a strong showing throughout the tournament, New Zealand fell short in the final. Bracewell himself scored 53 runs off 40 balls and took two important wickets of Virat Kohli and Axar Patel.
This series against Pakistan offers an opportunity for the team to regroup and regain their winning momentum.Â
"We’ve loved all of the support we’ve received from afar and are certainly looking forward to getting back home and playing in front of our own fans and in front of full venues," Bracewell concluded. Â
New Zealand squad for Pakistan T20Is
Michael Bracewell , Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes (games 4 & 5), Mitch Hay, Matt Henry (games 4 & 5), Kyle Jamieson (games 1, 2 & 3), Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke (games 1, 2 & 3), Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
