Trailing 0-2, New Zealand rocked by double blow before must-win Wellington T20I

New Zealand have suffered a double blow ahead of the must-win third T20I against India, with Matt Henry ruled out of the series and Lockie Ferguson set to miss the Wellington clash. Trailing 0-2 after back-to-back defeats in Christchurch, the hosts must win to keep the five-match series alive.Matt Henry ruled out of T20I series, Lockie Ferguson to miss Wellington clash. Courtesy: AFPNew Delhi,Oct 25, 2026 23:56 ISTNew Zealand have been dealt a double setback ahead of the must-win third T20I against India, with Matt Henry ruled out of the remainder of the series and Lockie Ferguson set to miss the Wellington clash due to a niggle and workload management. Trailing 0-2 in the five-match series, the hosts face an uphill task on Tuesday, October 27, as they look to keep their hopes alive after consecutive defeats in Christchurch.Ferguson will travel to Auckland on Sunday and rejoin the squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is, while Henry will remain in Christchurch before linking up with New Zealand's ODI squad in Auckland on November 2. Henry bowled just two overs in the second T20I, while Ferguson also left the field as a precautionary measure.Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's failure on T20I return leaves ex-India spinner fuming"Those two are being assessed. They'll go for some scans on Tuesday after the public holiday. We'll have some more information as to where things stand. Obviously, like always, we're just hoping for the best. That'll allow for the quickest turnaround," head coach Rob Walter said in a video shared by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). "It's been a competitive start to the T20 series with two close games and plenty more cricket to come," Walter said."We're very fortunate with the depth in the squad to be able to call upon different players to help manage our pacers' workloads and to try and ensure they're best placed to perform for the team for all the cricket coming up," he added.NEW ZEALAND RESHUFFLE SQUAD New Zealand will rely on their squad depth to manage their fast bowlers' workloads during a busy international summer. Blair Tickner will join the squad for the final three T20Is, while Josh Clarkson will link up with the team in Auckland for the last two matches. Matt Fisher will travel to Wellington as cover for the third T20I before returning to the New Zealand A squad at Lincoln University on Wednesday.Kyle Jamieson will remain in Wellington after Tuesday's match and represent Canterbury in the second round of the Ford Trophy at the Basin Reserve on October 31 before rejoining the national team for the ODI series.New Zealand will need a strong all-round performance in Wellington to prevent India from sealing the series with two matches to spare. The fourth T20I will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on October 30, followed by the fifth in Hamilton on November 1.The hosts will be eager to turn their fortunes around after losing both T20Is in Christchurch by four wickets. In the series opener on October 22, New Zealand posted 225/4, but India chased down the target with two balls to spare.In the second T20I on October 24, New Zealand scored 180/5, only for India to secure another four-wicket victory, this time with one ball remaining.- Ends