T20 World Cup 2026: Lockie Ferguson flies back home for birth of first child, set to miss New Zealand vs Canada match

New Zealand pace bowler Lockie Ferguson has flown back home and will not be playing their upcoming Group D match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Canada to be with his wife, Emma, who is expected to give birth to the couple's first child. BlackCaps' head coach Rob Walter made the announcement official during a press conference on Saturday, February 14. 

New Zealand's last group stage fixture on Tuesday will see Ferguson not being available for selection, but the cricketer is expected to make a return to the subcontinent for the Super Eights, should they qualify. Walter has said that the Kiwis will not name a replacement for Ferguson since the travelling reserves are already with the team if the need arises for further stages of the tournament.

"It's an incredibly exciting time for Lockie and Emma [Ferguson's wife], and we're pleased that he'll be at home for such a special occasion. At this stage, we won't be replacing Lockie in the squad, as the plan would be for him to return for the Super Eight phase of the tournament. But our travelling reserves, Ben Sears and Cole McConchie, are ready to be called into the squad should we need them," Walter was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The New Zealand-Canada clash will take centre stage at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday, February 17, and a win in this contest will confirm the Super Eights qualification for Mitchell Santner & Co. They are currently placed second on the table, having won two of the three games they played. Their only loss thus far came against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

With Ferguson not available, the Kiwis may be tempted to go with tall pacer Kyle Jamieson in their final group-stage fixture. Jamieson wasn't originally a part of the squad but came into the unit as the replacement for the injured Adam Milne. He would want to prove his worth, as opportunities may elude him in the future stages of the twenty-team tournament.