T20 World Cup 2026: Michael Bracewell ruled out with calf injury, Cole McConchie named replacement

New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell has been ruled out of the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after reinjuring his left calf. The 34-year-old had been recovering from a calf tear sustained during the third ODI against India last month but suffered a recurrence during warm-ups on Sunday ahead of the Afghanistan game.

Scans confirmed the injury, which is expected to require around three weeks of recovery. New Zealand head coach Rob Walter described the setback as a difficult blow for Bracewell.

“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 setback. We wish him a smooth recovery,” said Walter as quoted by Cricbuzz.

New Zealand have named Cole McConchie as a travelling reserve, though he has not yet been officially drafted into the squad as a replacement. McConchie, who has featured in 145 T20 matches, joins on the back of a strong domestic season, finishing as Canterbury Kings’ leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets at an economy of 7.71.

Walter highlighted that McConchie’s experience would be valuable in the tournament environment. New Zealand will play their third Group D match on Saturday, June 14, against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

“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,” said Walter.

New Zealand lead Group D with two wins from as many games. They defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in their opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on February 8, and then crushed the United Arab Emirates by 10 wickets on February 10, maintaining a perfect start to their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.

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