New Zealand must press on in India without Michael Bracewell after the all-rounder aggravated his left calf and was ruled out of the rest of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Team medics expect a three-week lay-off, effectively ending his tournament.
Off-spinning all-rounder Cole McConchie has been summoned as a travelling reserve, joining pace bowler Ben Sears on standby. McConchie will train with the group and cover any fresh injuries but is not part of the official 15.
Bracewell originally damaged the calf in the third one-day international against India last month. He struck an unbeaten 28 but did not field and missed the subsequent five-match T20I series. According to New Zealand Cricket, he “rehabilitated the calf tear but re-injured the muscle during warm-ups on Sunday.” Scans confirmed a repeat strain and the familiar three-week recovery timeline.
It is another slice of poor fortune for the 35-year-old, who also missed the 2023 ODI World Cup in India after rupturing his right Achilles tendon.
McConchie, 30, offers steady off-spin and lower-order runs. In 12 T20 internationals he has seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.29 (runs conceded per over). He captains Canterbury in the Super Smash and topped their wicket charts last month with 14 at 7.71.
“We’re all feeling for Michael,” New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said. “It’s really tough to get ruled out of a World Cup and I know how much playing for New Zealand means to him.”
“Michael worked incredibly hard to give himself a chance but unfortunately has had this setback. We wish him a smooth recovery.”
“Cole is a seasoned campaigner. He brings a great all-round skillset to the group along with a lot of T20 experience. It’s great to be able to lean on an experienced head, especially for a World Cup.”
On the field, New Zealand have started briskly, beating Afghanistan and then United Arab Emirates by ten wickets. The squad travels to Ahmedabad next, facing South Africa on 14 February with a perfect record still intact.
