New Zealand’s Finn Allen Ruled Out of Tri-Series Against South Africa, Zimbabwe Due to Injury

New Zealand have suffered a setback ahead of the upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe as explosive opener Finn Allen has been ruled out due to a foot injury. Allen sustained the injury while playing for the San Francisco Unicorns during the Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament in the United States. He will return home to New Zealand for further medical evaluation and treatment.

The 26-year-old had been in excellent form leading up to the tri-series. He was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the MLC before the injury and had impressed with a blistering 151 in the tournament opener against Washington Freedom in Oakland. His absence leaves a void in New Zealand’s top order just days before their opening fixture.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has confirmed that a replacement for Allen will be announced shortly. The timeline for his recovery will be decided after additional assessments in New Zealand.

The tri-series, featuring hosts Zimbabwe, South Africa, and New Zealand, begins on July 14 with Zimbabwe facing South Africa in the opener. New Zealand will begin their campaign on July 16 against South Africa. All matches will be held at Harare Sports Club, with the final scheduled for July 26.

Despite the loss of Allen, New Zealand will be boosted by the return of several key players, including Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, and captain Mitchell Santner. The trio had missed New Zealand’s last T20I series against Pakistan in March but are now back in the squad for the tri-series.

New Zealand squad for the tri-series: 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.

Tri-series fixtures:

July 14 – Zimbabwe vs South Africa
July 16 – South Africa vs New Zealand
July 18 – Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
July 20 – Zimbabwe vs South Africa
July 22 – New Zealand vs South Africa
July 24 – Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
July 26 – Final

*All matches will be played at Harare Sports Club.