New Zealand have been dealt a crushing blow with all-rounder Michael Bracewell being ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury. The setback is huge, as Bracewell is set to miss close to three weeks of action.
Bracewell picked up the injury during the third ODI against India last month, tearing his left calf. Although he recovered sufficiently to travel with the squad and even featured in the World Cup, he suffered a recurrence of the same injury during warm-ups before New Zealand’s match against Afghanistan in Chennai. Subsequent scans confirmed the damage, ruling him out for the rest of the tournament.
The all-rounder had shown promise before the injury flared up again, scoring an unbeaten 28 in the third and final ODI against India, though he did not field after sustaining the initial injury and was subsequently unavailable for the following T20I series.
"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," New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said.
"Michael worked incredibly hard to give himself a chance but unfortunately has had this setback. We wish him a smooth recovery."
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Event Technical Committee has approved Cole McConchie as a travelling reserve replacement for Bracewell in the New Zealand squad.
McConchie has played 12 T20Is and has taken seven wickets at an economy of 7.29. He has also played six ODIs for New Zealand.
"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."