New Zealand has called up Bevon Jacobs, a hard-hitting middle-order batsman, for the first time to play in the forthcoming three-match home Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka.
Despite not getting an opportunity to bat, Jacobs was a member of the New Zealand XI that played Sri Lanka in a 10-overs-a-side tour match on Monday in Lincoln.
Just one month has passed since the Mumbai Indians selected Jacobs in the IPL 2025 auction, joining Trent Boult of New Zealand and Mitchell Santner, the new white-ball skipper. After an outstanding Super Smash performance the previous season, in which he batted as a finisher and amassed 134 runs in six innings with a strike rate of 188.73, the league awarded Jacobs his first IPL contract.

Sam Wells, a NZC selector, stated, “Bevon and his family are clearly going through an exciting time.” We’re excited to introduce him to international cricket since he’s a talented and promising player.
After completing the Auckland system, Jacobs moved to Canterbury, where he made his List A and Twenty20 debuts a little more than a year ago. However, he came back to Auckland before the current home summer, and he scored 75 and 79 on his first-class debut last month.
He scored 80 against his former side, Canterbury, after just missing out on another half-century in his last game.
The T20I team also includes top-order batsman Tim Robinson, wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay, and fast bowler Zakary Foulkes, who may play their first international home games after making their debuts overseas earlier in the year.
Hay made his T20I debut in Sri Lanka in November, while Foulkes and Robinson made theirs in Pakistan in April.
Latham, Will Young, and Will O’Rourke will join the team for the one-day matches, while the selectors have only called up Jacobs, Foulkes, and Robinson for the Twenty20 Internationals. After playing in all eight Test matches against Sri Lanka, India, and England, the team has rested O’Rourke for the Twenty20 Internationals.
Due to their commitments to different franchise T20 competitions, many well-known players will be absent from New Zealand.
Due to their ongoing recovery from knee and back injuries, respectively, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson are currently unavailable.
Craig McMillan will handle batting and fielding for Ronchi, while Jacob Oram will assist him as bowling coach.
Prior to playing hosts Pakistan in the opening match of the Champions Trophy, this will be New Zealand’s last ODI bilateral series.
Before the Champions Trophy starts, New Zealand will also play a tri-series in Pakistan against South Africa.
“As with the squads that recently toured Sri Lanka, we’re keen to keep exposing new talent to the big stage and it’s nice to have an experienced core of players around them,” Wells stated. “The Champions Trophy, like all ICC pinnacle events, is an obvious incentive for players and I know many will be keen to put their best foot forward in the ODI series to be in the frame for selection.”
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