Adam Milne Out of T20 World Cup 2026 With Torn Hamstring; Kyle Jamieson Called Up as Replacement

New Zealand have suffered a significant blow to their T20 World Cup preparations with the confirmation that pace bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the tournament due to a torn left hamstring.

Milne sustained the injury on January 18 while representing the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the ongoing SA20 competition in South Africa. The setback comes at a particularly cruel time for the fast bowler, who had been showing excellent form across eight matches for his franchise.

Kyle Jamieson Steps Up as Replacement

Kyle Jamieson, who was initially named as a travelling reserve in New Zealand's World Cup squad, has been elevated to the main roster following Milne's injury. The tall seamer is currently with the New Zealand squad in India, which has made the transition seamless.

New Zealand Cricket has confirmed that another travelling reserve will be named in due course to fill the gap left by Jamieson's promotion to the main squad.

New Zealand's Mounting Injury Concerns

Milne's injury adds to what has become a worrying list of fitness concerns for the Black Caps ahead of the World Cup. The New Zealand pace bowling stocks have been hit particularly hard:

• Will O'Rourke – currently nursing an injury
• Blair Tickner – sidelined with injury
• Nathan Smith – recovering from injury
• Ben Sears – also dealing with injury concerns

Additionally, key squad members Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, and Matt Henry have only recently returned from their own injury layoffs, though all three are currently participating in the series against India.

Ferguson and Henry to Miss Parts of World Cup

Lockie Ferguson, a crucial member of New Zealand's pace attack, is currently recovering from a calf injury and has been ruled out of the ongoing India series. Both Ferguson and Matt Henry are also expected to miss portions of the World Cup due to paternity leave, adding further complexity to New Zealand's squad management.

Head Coach Rob Walter Reacts

Head coach Rob Walter expressed his disappointment at Milne's misfortune while highlighting the positive aspects of having Jamieson ready to step in.

"We're all gutted for Adam. He'd worked so hard to get himself ready for the tournament and was looking back to his best in his eight games for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers. It's unfortunate timing for Adam and we wish him a speedy recovery."

On Jamieson's inclusion, the head coach added:

"It's great that Kyle is already with us here in India. He's an integral member of our pace-bowling group and has hit the ground running on this tour. He's a hard worker with a good set of skills and experiences that will hold him in good stead for the tournament."

Updated New Zealand Squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Following the change, New Zealand's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup now reads:

1. Mitchell Santner (c)
2. Finn Allen
3. Michael Bracewell
4. Mark Chapman
5. Devon Conway
6. Jacob Duffy
7. Lockie Ferguson
8. Matt Henry
9. Kyle Jamieson
10. Daryl Mitchell
11. James Neesham
12. Glenn Phillips
13. Rachin Ravindra
14. Tim Seifert
15. Ish Sodhi

Looking Ahead: Can New Zealand Overcome Their Injury Crisis?

Despite the mounting injury concerns, New Zealand possess a squad with considerable depth and experience. The presence of seasoned campaigners like Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra in the batting department, combined with the spin options of Santner and Sodhi, provides a solid foundation.

The key challenge for the Black Caps will be managing their pace bowling resources effectively throughout the tournament. With Jamieson now in the main squad and Ferguson expected to recover in time, New Zealand will hope their injury troubles are behind them as they look to mount a serious challenge at the T20 World Cup.