New Zealand looks to its batting depth, game-breakers at the T20 World Cup

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand will lean heavily on its batting depth and proven match-winners to balance a depleted attack as it attempts to win the T20 World Cup for the first time.

The Black Caps’ best effort in nine World Cups was in 2021 when they were well beaten by Australia in the final.

That record reflects New Zealand’s love-hate relationship with a format to which it seems well adapted with its high percentage of allrounders. New Zealand played the first-ever T20 international, against Australia, and its win-loss record in around 260 internationals is roughly 50%.

The latest T20 World Cup starts Saturday in India and Sri Lanka over the next month.

New Zealand heads into the tournament on the back of a humbling T20 series loss to India in India. In the fifth game, New Zealand conceded a record 271-5, which included a century from 40 balls by Ishan Kishan.

New Zealand's weakened bowling attack was under the pump throughout the series. In the third match, India chased down New Zealand’s 153-9 with only two wickets down and 10 overs remaining.

Asked at the end of the series if there was anything New Zealand could have done to contain the Indian batters, skipper Mitchell Santner joked, “Maybe push the boundaries back a little bit!”

But Santner was happy with the intelligence New Zealand gained from the India series ahead of its World Cup opener against Afghanistan at Chennai.

“We look at the series as a whole. We learned a lot of good stuff,” Santner said. “It’s not easy as a bowling unit. We’ve got to find ways against very good batters.”

New Zealand will ask much of the 31-year-old pacer Jacob Duffy, who will be playing at his first T20 World Cup. Duffy had an extraordinary breakout season in 2025, taking 81 wickets in a calendar year to break the New Zealand record held by Richard Hadlee. He is the No. 4-ranked T20 bowler in the world.

Apart from Duffy, the New Zealand pace lineup includes Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, who came in as a late replacement for the injured Adam Milne. Ben Sears is the traveling reserve and may see action as Henry and Ferguson may both take short breaks for paternity leave.

Santner and Ish Sodhi are the main spin options, with Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Michael Bracewell providing backup.

Sodhi said the batters spent time facing spin in their tournament preparation.

“At training the boys wanted to face spinners and see what their boundary and single options were, so it was really cool that everyone is training specifically for that,” he said.

New Zealand’s strong batting lineup comprises of Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert. Seifert will also keep wicket while the allrounders Jimmy Neesham, who provides an extra pace option, Bracewell and Phillips balance the squad.

“We’ve got plenty of power and skill in the batting, quality bowlers who can adapt to conditions plus five allrounders who all bring something slightly different," New Zealand coach Rob Walter said.

“This is an experienced group and the players are no strangers to playing in the subcontinent, which will be valuable.”

New Zealand’s squad includes players with franchise experience around the world who bring a match-winning element.

Allen has a strike rate of 165.45 in T20 internationals and 175.23 in domestic or franchise T20 cricket.

Phillips has a strike rate of 141.56 in international T20s and provides athleticism in the field, reflected by his 52 catches.

“World Cups are special and there’s few better places to play one than in India, which is very much the heartbeat of the modern game,” Walter said. “I’m really happy with the skills and experience of this squad. We have a group which can make New Zealand proud.”

New Zealand is drawn in Group D with Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa and the UAE.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's Zak Foulkes celebrates the dismissal of India's Rinku Singh with his teammates during the fourth T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, India, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

New Zealand's Jacob Duffy celebrates the dismissal of India's Shivam Dube but it was reversed by third umpire during the fourth T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, India, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

New Zealand's Ish Sodhi celebrates the dismissal of India's Arshdeep Singh during the fourth T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, India, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

New Zealand's captain Mitchell Santner plays a shot during the third T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Guwahati, India, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)