The New Zealand Cricket has recently announced the list of 20 members, including Mitch Hay, Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok and Zak Foulkes, receiving NZC central contracts for the 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, senior players, like Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, who turned down central contracts for the previous season, have remained to opt out of central contracts.

The list includes Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, and Daryl Mitchell have been included in the central contracts and will continue to be key figures for the Kiwi side across formats.

In a release, NZC stated, “A statistical review of domestic and international performances across Test, ODI, and T20I formats informed the rankings, with the final 20 players selected based on past performances, the 2025-26 schedule, and their likelihood of representing New Zealand.”

New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott Weenink spoke about the NZC central contracts for 2025-26 season and highlighted the inclusion of new talents into national setup.

He stated that they are ready to step up at the highest level and possess the hunger to perform for New Zealand.

“The contracts with Mitch, Muhammad, Adi, and Zak reflect the incredible talent coming through our system. These players have shown they can compete at the highest level, and their hunger to represent the Blackcaps is exciting. The list captures the depth and versatility of our talent pool,” said Weenink.

“With a packed season ahead, including the ICC T20 World Cup in February, these players are ready to make their mark and inspire fans across New Zealand.” concluded Scott Weenink.

Central Contract list for 2025-26: Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, William O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Will Young