Veteran New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson’s hopes of featuring in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 are under serious threat after a calf injury ruled him out of competitive cricket weeks before squad selection. The tournament, set to be played in India and Sri Lanka, is now just a month away, and New Zealand’s pace resources look increasingly stretched.
The 34-year-old sustained the injury while bowling for Desert Vipers in the ILT20 clash against MI Emirates in Dubai on December 21. He was immediately ruled out of the remainder of the tournament, with England all-rounder Sam Curran taking over captaincy duties. The setback has since worsened, forcing Ferguson out of the entire Big Bash League season with Sydney Thunder.
According to the ICC, Ferguson will not bowl a ball before New Zealand names its T20 World Cup squad on January 15, leaving selectors with a difficult decision.
What Lockie Ferguson’s injury means for New Zealand’s T20 World Cup plans
Ferguson’s absence comes at a bad time for the New Zealand cricket team. Known as the quickest bowler in the Black Caps setup, his raw pace and death-overs skill have been key weapons in past ICC tournaments. However, he has not played international cricket for over a year, and this injury has further hurt his chances of a comeback.
The situation is made worse by Will O’Rourke’s ongoing back injury, which has already ruled the young quick out of the upcoming T20I series against India. With Ferguson also sidelined, New Zealand are running out of experienced fast-bowling options just before a major global event.
Ferguson was expected to join the squad after completing his BBL commitments, but being ruled out of the Australian league has left him short on match fitness and game rhythm. From a selection point of view, naming a bowler who hasn’t played competitive cricket for weeks carries risk, especially in subcontinent conditions.
India name ODI squad as focus shifts towards T20 World Cup preparation
While New Zealand deals with injury setbacks, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11. Shubman Gill will lead the side, with senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma returning after strong domestic form.
India have opted for two wicketkeepers, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant while Yashasvi Jaiswal also finds a place in the squad. The pace unit includes Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana, supported by spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav.
Notably, Hardik Pandya has been left out as the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence has not cleared him to bowl 10 overs. With the T20 World Cup next month, India are clearly managing his workload carefully. Ruturaj Gaikwad also misses out despite a strong run in recent ODIs.
For India, the series offers a chance to fine-tune combinations, while for New Zealand, Ferguson’s uncertain fitness leaves a major question unanswered ahead of the ICC event.
