New Zeeland’s seasoned batting allrounder Jimmy Neesham, who chose to skip the recently concluded five-match T20I series against India, returned to the Kiwis squad as they faced Afghanistan in their first match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. However, his return had zero impact on the side despite them winning the encounter, thanks to the batting efforts of Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips.
Neesham, who had refused a central contract with his country’s cricket board in 2022, now plays around the world as a T20 freelancer, besides playing in the Kiwis’ T20I matches. Before the World Cup, he played in the ILT20 for the Dubai Capitals and continued with the Rajshahi Warriors in the Bangladesh Premier League. He chose to opt out of the NZ side for their five-match T20I series against India in order to focus on the BPL, which he won with the warriors.
The NZ cricket board had earlier announced that he would join the squad for the last two matches of the series, but Neesham was kept out of the playing XI on both occasions.
In his return to the NZ squad for the World Cup, Neesham did not get a chance to bat against Afghanistan, and neither was he able to fetch any wicket for his side in the three overs that he bowled (he got hit for 33 runs with an economy of 11.00). His only notable contribution was running out Azmatullah Omarzai in the 20th over of Afghanistan’s innings.
When he was asked in December 2025 (while he was playing for the Dubai Capitals) by ESPNcricinfo regarding his plans for the year, the veteran T20 specialist had said, “”Win this tournament, and then go to India and win the T20 World Cup, and then probably go home for a bit.”
NZ vs AFG: A glance at the match
New Zealand avenged its loss to Afghanistan two years ago with a thumping five-wicket win at the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
In what is expected to shape up as the toughest group in the tournament with 2024 finalist South Africa also in Group D, New Zealand cruised to 183-5 – its highest ever chase at the T20 World Cup – with two overs to spare.
Gulbadin Naib, batting at No. 3 for the first time in T20s since the 2024 World Cup when Afghanistan knocked out the Black Caps from the race to the semis with an 84-run win at Guyana, smashed 63 off 35 balls as Afghanistan posted 182-6 after winning the toss.
Later on Sunday
England won the toss and elected to bat in its opening Group C match against Nepal at Mumbai while later Sunday co-host Sri Lanka is scheduled to meet Ireland in a Group B game at Colombo.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, began on Saturday with victories for Pakistan, India and the West Indies.
#T20 #World #Cup #Skipping #India #series #BPL #pays #Neesham #muted #World #Cup #comeback #Afghanistan
