New Zealand has suffered a major blow in the ongoing Zimbabwe T20 Tri-series as star all-rounder Glenn Phillips has been ruled out due to a groin injury. He sustained an injury during the final of the Major League Cricket(MLC) 2025 while he was playing for the Washington Freedom on July 13.
Phillips, a key figure in New Zealand’s white ball setup, was expected to play an important role in the tri-series featuring Zimbabwe, South Africa and New Zealand. However, his absence is going to be a major issue for the already suffering Kiwis team as pacer Ben Sears and their top order batter Finn Allen is also missing the tournament due to side and foot injuries, respectively and now the injury to Phillips is going to make things hard for New Zealand.
New Zealand head coach, Rob Walter expressed his disappointment at losing Phillips from the squad. “It’s obviously disappointing to lose someone of Glenn’s calibre. Much like Finn, we really feel for Glenn and that he misses out on this series,” said New Zealand’s new head coach, Rob Walter.
“We know he was eager to get out on the field for the Blackcaps and unfortunately, he won’t be able to do that for this series. We know he’ll work hard to get himself back onto the park, and I look forward to when that happens,” Walter added. Phillips was assessed on arrival in Zimbabwe and it was deemed that he would require a number of weeks to recover. Tim Robinson, who joined the squad as a cover, will remain with the team for the rest of the T20 Tri-Series also involving South Africa.
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Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series, 2025
So far, New Zealand has had a solid start to their campaign in the Zimbabwe T20I Tri-series. Beginning with a 21-run victory over South Africa at the Hare Sports Club, the Kiwis started strong and are now set to face the hosts for the second T20.
Phillips, has been a consistent performer for the Black Caps in limited-overs cricket. Since making his T20I debut in 2017, he has played 83 T20Is and has scored 1929 runs at a strike rate of 140.59. His absence will be felt as Kiwis aim to maintain their winning momentum in the Tri-Series and prepare for the upcoming international fixtures. While New Zealand Cricket has yet to name a replacement for Phillips, an announcement is expected soon, considering the team’s tight schedule and the competitive nature of the series.
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