IND vs NZ 4th T20I: Ferguson, Neesham, and Seifert join New Zealand squad to save pride
New Zealand Cricket has bolstered its touring squad in India with the addition of experienced campaigners Jimmy Neesham, Lockie Ferguson, and Tim Seifert ahead of the fourth T20 International, while star opener Finn Allen will join for the series finale after his record-breaking Big Bash League campaign.
The Black Caps announced the changes on Monday, releasing debutants Kristian Clarke and Tim Robinson from the touring party after India clinched an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series with a commanding eight-wicket victory in Guwahati on Saturday.
Allen Set to Provide Firepower After BBL Heroics
Allen will link up with the squad in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday ahead of the fifth and final match on January 31. The aggressive opener arrives in stellar form, having finished as the top run-scorer in the BBL 2025-26 season with 466 runs at a strike rate of 184.18, helping Perth Scorchers claim an unprecedented sixth BBL title.
"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," New Zealand Cricket said in a statement posted on X.
Clarke made his T20I debut in the series opener in Nagpur on January 21, taking one wicket for 40 runs. Robinson scored 21 off 15 balls in the same match, but neither featured in the following two games.
Experience for World Cup Preparations
The squad additions bring considerable experience in Indian conditions. Ferguson has played multiple IPL seasons with franchises including Kolkata Knight Riders, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings. The 34-year-old pacer, who recovered from a calf injury sustained during the ILT20 in the UAE, described the India series as "literally perfect prep" for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Neesham brings vast experience from international cricket and franchise leagues worldwide, while Seifert recently featured in the Big Bash League and has prior playing experience in India.
India's Dominant Run Continues
India's series victory extended their remarkable unbeaten streak in T20I series since lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup. In the third T20I, Abhishek Sharma registered the second-fastest fifty by an Indian in T20I history, scoring 68 off just 20 balls with seven fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 340. Captain Suryakumar Yadav added an unbeaten 57 off 26 deliveries as India chased down 154 in only 10 overs.
The fourth T20I is scheduled for January 28 at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. With the series already decided, New Zealand will use the remaining matches to test combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.