On Monday, April 27, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) released an update regarding the injury to New Zealand national cricket team captain Tom Latham ahead of the opening T20I series against the Bangladesh national cricket team.
NZC revealed that Tom Latham has been ruled out of the first match of the three-match T20 series between New Zealand and Bangladesh, which will be played at the Bir Shrestho Flt Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram.
Tom Latham has a toe injury
Latham suffered a toe injury and a cut under his toenail during training on Sunday, ruling him out of the first T20 match. NZC has appointed Nick Kelly as the Blackcaps captain in Latham’s absence.
“Blackcaps captain Tom Latham has been ruled out of today’s first T20 match against Bangladesh after being hit on the big toe of his right foot while batting in training yesterday,” NZC said.
“Latham has suffered a below-the-toe injury, and his availability for the remainder of the series will be assessed game-by-game. Wellington Firebirds batsman Nick Kelly will replace Latham as captain and become the Blackcaps’ 13th T20I captain.”
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Nick Kelly’s previous record
Kelly, a left-handed batsman, scored half-centuries in both the second and third ODI of the ongoing tour in Bangladesh. New Zealand lost both those matches. So far, he has played only five T20 matches – all of them in the five-match series against South Africa in March this year – and has scored 57 runs at an average of 14.25.
Kelly is the captain of the Wellington Firebirds in New Zealand domestic cricket from 2023. In three seasons, Kelly led Wellington to only one playoff appearance, where the Firebirds finished third. Kelly also led his team to the last place in Super Smash 2025/26.
Read NZC appointment post here:
A brief update ahead of this evening’s match.#BANvNZ pic.twitter.com/FLwsP1zmfE
– Blackcaps (@BLACKCAPS) 27 April 2026
New Zealand’s leading stars missing
Since New Zealand’s tour of Bangladesh has clashed with the IPL, NZC has decided to give a chance to the players. New Zealand’s biggest stars like Mitchell Santner, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are busy with their IPL commitments.
Tom Latham is already the full-time captain of New Zealand in Test cricket, but has been playing interim captaincy roles on such marginal white-ball tours for years. Unless his injury worsens, he will be expected to take charge in the second and third T20Is.
new zealand upcoming matches
New Zealand has lost the ODI series on its current Bangladesh tour by a margin of 2-1. The first T20I will take place on Monday, April 27, while the second and third matches will be held on April 29 and May 2 respectively.
Tom Latham will be expected to return as captain for New Zealand’s next major assignment – the Test series against England in June. Before that series, the Blackcaps will also play a one-off Test against Ireland in Belfast.
