New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the men’s central contract list for the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, June 3, with four players earning their first central contracts. Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson have been left out of the new central contract list.
Mitch Hay, Muhammad Abbas, Zak Foulkes, and Adi Ashok have earned their first central contracts following strong performances for the Black Caps over the past year. They are expected to play important roles in the upcoming series against Zimbabwe in July, as well as during the home season.
Kane Williamson and Devon Conway Omitted from New Zealand’s Central Contracts
New Zealand Cricket has announced its list of 20 centrally contracted players for the 2025–26 season. Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson have been left out. NZC stated that discussions are ongoing with these players regarding casual playing contracts.
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Veteran pacer Tim Southee, who recently retired, was an expected omission. However, spinners Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel, along with all-rounder Josh Clarkson, were also excluded from the list.
Williamson had declined a central contract last year but still played in nine of New Zealand’s 13 matches, scoring over 1,000 runs. He will continue his career in England, representing London Spirit in The Hundred and Middlesex in both the County Championship and the T20 Blast.
Hunger to Represent the BLACKCAPS Is Exciting – New Zealand Cricket CEO
New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott Weenink was impressed with the inclusion of Mitch Hay, Muhammad Abbas, Adi Ashok, and Zak Foulkes in the central contract list. Weenink expressed confidence that these players would play a key role in driving the Black Caps into a successful new era.
“The contracts with Mitch, Muhammad, Adi and Zak reflect the incredible talent coming through our system,” Weenink said.
“These players have shown they can compete at the highest level, and their hunger to represent the BLACKCAPS is exciting. We’re thrilled to see this group drive our team forward,” he added.
“The list captures the depth and versatility of our talent pool. With a packed season ahead, including the ICC T20 World Cup in February, these players are ready to make their mark and inspire fans across New Zealand.”
Full List of New Zealand’s Centrally Contracted Players for 2025-26
Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, William O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Will Young
The New Zealand national cricket team will next take on Zimbabwe in July-August. As per the FTP, the tour will begin with a T20I Tri-Series that also features South Africa, followed by a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe. The first Test is scheduled to start on July 30.
Also read: ILT20 goes ruthless as team salary caps slashed by 20% ahead of 2025–26 season
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