Kane Williamson to Miss Australia T20Is, Signs Casual Deal with NZC
Kane Williamson will not feature in New Zealand’s T20I series against Australia starting October 1 in Mount Maunganui. However, the veteran has signed a casual playing agreement with NZC and remains committed to the 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
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Casual Playing Agreements
Alongside Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert have also opted for casual playing agreements instead of full central contracts for the 2025-26 season. This move gives them flexibility to balance international cricket with overseas franchise leagues while staying within New Zealand’s high-performance system.
Players with BBL Deals
Allen, Seifert and Ferguson already hold Big Bash League contracts, meaning they will play in Australia while the New Zealand Super Smash takes place at home. Similarly, Sophie Devine, New Zealand women’s captain, has taken a casual deal as she plans to retire from ODIs after the upcoming World Cup in India but will continue in T20Is.
Williamson’s Recent Stint Overseas
The Black Caps skipper has been managing his workload, missing both the Zimbabwe Test series and the preceding T20I tri-series. Instead, Williamson featured in the T20 Blast with Middlesex, two County Championship games, and The Hundred for London Spirit.
NZC on the Agreements
NZC confirmed that to qualify for casual agreements, players had to commit to the T20 World Cup build-up, including home series against Australia, England and West Indies. Williamson, however, has been given an exception to skip the Australia matches. NZC CEO Scott Weenink called the arrangements a pragmatic solution, “With such a pinnacle event on the horizon, we wanted to ensure our best T20 players were ready and available. The casual agreements are a commitment from players to the Black Caps, and NZC will fully support them as part of our high-performance system.”
Squad Announcement Soon
New Zealand’s squad for the Australia T20I series (October 1–4) will be announced later this week, as the Black Caps prepare for a busy season leading into the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
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