Bad News for New Zealand; Michael Bracewell ruled out of T20 World Cup 2026 due to THIS reason, replacement named

Michael Bracewell has been ruled out of the 2026 T20 World Cup due to a calf injury.

New Zealand have suffered a big blow at the start of the T20 World Cup 2026 as their star all-rounder Michael Bracewell has been ruled out due to a calf injury. The spin all-rounder sustained the injury during the warm-up sessions ahead of the clash against the UAE.

Notably, Bracewell captained New Zealand in the ODI series against India last month in Mitchell Santner’s absence. He also led the team to a 2-1 victory. However, he suffered a calf strain in the campaign and missed the subsequent T20I series.

He recovered from his calf injury ahead of the T20 World Cup and rejoined the squad. He was not part of New Zealand’s playing XI in the first two games against Afghanistan and the UAE. The Kiwis won both games like a walk in the park. During the warm-up sessions on Sunday, Bracewell reinjured his calf.

Cole McConchie called in as a replacement after Bracewell’s ouster

Spin all-rounder Cole McConchie has been called in as a replacement after Bracewell’s exit from the T20 World Cup. He will travel to India to join the squad as a travelling reserve alongside pacer Ben Sears. McConchie last represented New Zealand in April 2024 and has played 12 T20Is so far. He will join the squad on February 15.

New Zealand’s head coach Rob Walter wished a speedy recovery to Bracewell, saying that it was unfortunate for him to get ruled out of the tournament. He also heaped praises on his replacement McConchie.

“We’re all feeling for Michael. 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 set back. We wish him a smooth recovery,” he said.

“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. McConchie is set to assemble with the squad on Friday 13,” he added

Meanwhile, New Zealand are placed in Group D in T20 World Cup 2026 and currently grab the top spot in the their group’s points table with four points. They have bagged two back-to-back victories in the tournament. On Tuesday, the Mitchell Santner & Co. clinched an impeccable victory against UAE by 10 wickets, chasing down a 174-run target in 15.2 overs.

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