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Will O’Rourke, Finn Allen Out For 3 Months; Glenn Phillips Sidelined As NZ Battles Injury Woes

Rajgeeta Yadav

 New Zealand's upcoming home series against Australia [Source: AFP] New Zealand's upcoming home series against Australia [Source: AFP]

New Zealand team has been hit hard by injuries just months before the T20 World Cup 2026. Fast bowler Will O’Rourke is likely to miss at least three months after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back. This means he’ll be off the field for a while and may only return just before the big tournament.

Finn Allen, one of New Zealand’s key opening batsmen, has also been ruled out for about three months. He recently had surgery on a stress fracture in his right leg, which means fans won’t see him play anytime soon.

Glenn Phillips, an important all-rounder, will miss the upcoming T20 matches against Australia on October 1, 3, and 4 in Mount Maunganui due to a back injury.

To add to the woes, captain Mitchell Santner is also in doubt for the Australia series. Santner suffered a groin injury during England’s Hundred tournament and will now undergo abdominal surgery. His recovery is expected to take about a month, so the team will have to wait to see if he’s fit in time.

Head Coach Luke Walter Expresses Disappointment

Head coach Luke Walter expressed disappointment over the injuries but remained hopeful:

“We’re really feeling for Will at the moment and wishing him speedy recovery,” he said. “He’s had such an impressive start to his career and so naturally it is disappointing when an injury like this comes along, but he’s a resilient guy and determined to put the work in and come back stronger.”

Walter also praised Santner’s importance to the team and hinted that he might still be included in the squad announcement:

“Mitch is a world-class player and a crucial part of our T20 side from a skills and leadership point of view,” Walter said. 

“With that in mind, we expect to name him in our squad when we announce it in a couple of weeks' time, and from there we can assess how his rest and rehabilitation progresses following surgery, before making a call on the eve of the series."

Despite the setbacks, Walter is looking at the positive side, saying that these absences will give other players a chance to step up:

“It’s disappointing to lose the services of Glenn and Finn who have played important batting roles in our T20 set up in recent times," he added.

New Zealand face a busy cricketing schedule this summer, hosting Australia, England, and the West Indies in what promises to be an action-packed season before turning their focus to Test matches in December.