New Zealand opener Finn Allen will miss the upcoming T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe due to a foot injury sustained while playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in the United States’ Major League Cricket, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old will return home for further specialist consultations, with his recovery timeline to be determined thereafter. A replacement player will be named in due course.
Allen’s absence is a blow for New Zealand ahead of a busy international schedule. The Black Caps will be captained by Mitchell Santner for the Zimbabwe tri-series, which also features South Africa. The Kiwis begin their campaign on 16 July against the Proteas in Harare.
One of the most anticipated inclusions in the squad is hard-hitting batter Bevon Jacobs, who is poised to make his international debut. The South Africa-born 23-year-old has made an impression in domestic cricket and is expected to add explosive power to New Zealand’s middle order.
“This guy’s an absolute monster,” said veteran leg-spinner Ish Sodhi ahead of the team’s departure. “He’s one of those guys who bats at six and hits six from ball one. It’s an asset I don’t think we’ve had a lot of in New Zealand cricket. It’s great to have that kind of skill.”
The tri-series begins on 14 July with hosts Zimbabwe facing South Africa.
New Zealand Squad:
Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.