Kane Williamson once again denied New Zealand central contract. The 34-year-old opted out of the contract in the 2024-25 season, citing his desire to play more franchise cricket across the globe. However, he clarified, stating his eagerness to play international cricket whenever there’s an opportunity. Not a lot has changed in the 2025-26 season, as the former captain has once again opted out of the 20-member list.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket has four changes to their central contract list season, as Mitch Hay, Muhammad Abbas, Zak Foulkes and Adi Ashok have been included for the first time. They have produced strong performances in the last few months, which helped the cricketers earn the central contract.
“The contracts with Mitch, Muhammad, Adi and Zak reflect the incredible talent coming through our system. These players have shown they can compete at the highest level, and their hunger to represent the Black Caps is exciting. We’re thrilled to see this group drive our team forward,” NZC CEO Scott Weenick said.
“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,” he added.
Notably, these four cricketers replaced Tim Southee (retired), Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel, and Josh Clarkson, who were not offered a new contract. As things stand, Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson are expected to feature from time to time as NZC are preparing a casual contract with these players. The details are expected to be known later.
New Zealand Central Contract List 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