Lockie Ferguson was granted parental leave and will miss New Zealand’s final Group D match against Canada in the T20 World Cup.
Lockie Ferguson has been granted parental leave and will miss New Zealand’s final Group D match against Canada at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Sunday.
The fast bowler will depart for home on Sunday to be with his family. Head coach Rob Walter said the team fully supports Ferguson during this important moment in his life.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time for Lockie and Emma and we’re pleased that he’ll be at home for such a special occasion,” said Walter.
Walter added that New Zealand do not plan to name a replacement at this stage, as the management expects Ferguson to return for the Super 8 phase if the team qualifies.
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“At this stage, we won’t be replacing Lockie in the squad as the plan would be for him to return for the Super 8 phase of the tournament. But our travelling reserves Ben Sears and Cole McConchie are ready to be called into the squad should we need them.”
New Zealand have won two of their three Group D matches so far and remain in strong contention to progress to the next stage. They will take on Canada on Tuesday in their final group fixture.
Lockie Ferguson has featured in 12 matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup between 2022 and 2026, picking up 18 wickets with best figures of 3 for 0. Across preliminary matches in this period, he has played 11 games and claimed 18 wickets, underlining his role as a key strike bowler for New Zealand in the group stages.
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