T20 World Cup: NZ add Ben Sears as traveling reserve
What's the story
Team New Zealand has added fast bowler Ben Sears to their 2026 ICC T20 World Cup squad as a traveling reserve. The decision comes after Kyle Jamieson was promoted to the main squad due to Adam Milne's injury, which ruled him out of the tournament. Sears, who recently recovered from a hamstring injury and performed well in Super Smash, will join the team in Mumbai ahead of their warm-up match against the USA on February 5.
Coach's remarks
Coach Rob Walter praises Sears's hard work and performance
New Zealand coach Rob Walter praised Sears for his determination to return from injury and perform well. "Ben's worked hard to get himself back on the park and it's been great to see him back playing and performing well," said Walter. He also noted that Sears had a successful Super Smash campaign with the Firebirds, where he was joint second-highest wicket-taker in the round-robin stage with 15 wickets from nine matches at at 17.93.
Player profile
Sears's international career and upcoming matches
Sears has played 22 T20Is for New Zealand, with his last international appearance coming against Australia in early October. He owns 23 wickets in the format at an economy of 8.59. The addition of Sears as a traveling reserve will give New Zealand extra cover ahead of their T20 World Cup campaign. They will play their final T20I against India on Sunday before starting their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Chennai on February 8.
Information
New Zealand Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi. Travelling Reserve: Ben Sears.