Bowler Christian Clarke and batsman Robinson were releasedImage Credit source: PTI

The New Zealand cricket team performed strongly in the ODI series on the India tour but has faced consecutive defeats in the T20 series. It has suffered a crushing defeat in the first three matches of this series, which is being played just before the T20 World Cup. The series is out of their hands but now the Kiwi team will hope to make a comeback in the last 2 matches. But even before the fourth T20 match, there has been a change in New Zealand's squad and 2 players have been suddenly dropped. Fast bowler Christian Clarke and top order batsman Tim Robinson have been sent back to the country without any injury or illness.

on sunday Defeat in the third T20 match A day later, the New Zealand Cricket Board announced this change in the team in a social media post. The Kiwi team said that Clarke and Robinson have been released from the squad. Both the players got a chance to play only 1-1 match in this series. Both were part of the first T20, in which Clarke took 1 wicket, while opener Robinson played an inning of 21 runs.

That's why New Zealand changed the team

In fact, the reason for the sudden exclusion of these two players from the team is the return of those players who are part of the squad selected for the T20 World Cup. Giving the reason for this decision in its post, the New Zealand Board said that James Neesham, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert have become part of the camp. Of these, Seifert was a part of the T20 series from the beginning and has also played 2 matches, but all-rounder Neesham and fast bowler Ferguson are just joining the team.

Kristian Clarke and Tim Robinson have been released from the BLACKCAPS T20 squad in India with Jimmy Neesham, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert now in camp.

Finn Allen will be the final squad member to join the side on Thursday in Trivandrum.#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/PARjD3EsHf

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 26, 2026

Star players were busy in BBL and BPL

Veteran all-rounder Neesham was recently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, while Ferguson was on a break. Now both these players will be part of the fourth T20 match to be played in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday 28 January. Apart from these two, explosive opener Finn Allen will also join the team in Trivandrum on Thursday 29th January and will be available for the fifth match. Allen was playing in the Big Bash League, where he played an important role in making Perth Scorchers the champion with the highest score of 466 runs.