The Kiwi speedster has been a part of the Punjab Kings and the Lucknow Supergiants previously.
Matt Henry has cracked the Zimbabwean batting order open. The 33-year-old picked up six wickets in the first innings of the first Test at Bulawayo. He was in top form and the ball in his hand did all the talking, as the Kiwis wrapped up the Zimbabwe innings for a mere 149. Henry’s most important wicket was that of Sikandar Raza, who was dismissed for just two runs off the third delivery he faced in the match. Captain Craig Ervine won the toss and elected to bat first, but New Zealand rocked them over to gain an upper ground on the Test match.
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BCC
140/8
NAJC
139/6
Bud Cricket Club beat Nabajyoti Club by 2 wickets
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169/4
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168/5
Selangor beat Johor by 6 wickets
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104/9
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150/6
Melaka beat Kelantan by 46 runs
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179/5
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SRAK
75/3
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2/0
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164/7
PAK
178/6
Pakistan beat West Indies by 14 runs
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To everyone’s surprise, a bowler of Matt Henry’s poise went unsold for the recent edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has played six games in total, for just two franchises in the league. His latest stint was with the Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) in 2024. He featured in four games and could only pick a solitary wicket, giving away 110 runs in the bargain. But his game has certainly improved post that.
After picking 17 wickets against Australia at home, he ran through the Indian batting line-up in Bengaluru in 2024. He ended with a five-wicket haul, giving away just 15 runs. After repeating the same heroics against England at home, Henry went on to impress in the white-ball series against the Sri Lankans. He registered 10 wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy before bring ruled out of the Final due to an injury.
Many franchises will regret not picking him in the IPL 2025 auctions when he was up for grabs. The Kiwi pacer was already on the path towards improving his bowling multiple fold, and could have been beneficial for many of the franchises. However, with the trades and transfers for the next cycle on the horizon, here are three teams that could target signing Matt Henry ahead of IPL 2026.
The one-time IPL champions might be on the lookout for a good foreign pacer. Gerald Coetzee might not fit the retention criteria and can be released into the auction pool. It will therefore be a good opportunity for the Titans to go for someone like Henry, who has been on the rise since quite some time.
Along with pace, the Kiwi speedster also brings accuracy and variations into the mix. Looking at the way the Titans have bowled in the recent season, they might need some variety at the death to couple with the likes of Kagiso Rabada. Azmatullah Omarzai has been doing really well in terms of his all-round skills, and the team can involve Henry to bowl at the death, along with his variations.
Another franchise that might find themselves in the need for a quality fast bowler for the next season is Chennai Super Kings. The five-time IPL champions have the likes of Sam Curran and Nathan Ellis, but failed to make an impact with the new ball this time around.
With the likes of Matt Henry, CSK will have the cushion of a bowler who can bowl well in all stages. Moreover, the pitches in Chennai are sometimes dual paced in nature. They provide help with the new ball in the powerplay. To add to that, the pitches also assist slower balls towards the end of the innings. Hence, the Kiwi pacer would be handy for the Yellow Army, if they are to look for an overseas pacer.
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The champions of the inaugural season have Kwena Maphaka and Nandre Burger in the squad. But apart from Jofra Archer, the Royals do not possess any foreign speedster who can add pace to their wings. The likes of Tushar Deshpande and Akash Madhwal will find themselves in the playing XI regularly. But they might not have the same impact which Matt Henry can create.
The Royals conceded 200 runs in seven of their 14 fixtures last season. This was clearly one of the reasons they couldn’t qualify for the playoffs. If they sign Matt Henry, it would help their chances of bowling well at the death. With his variations and changes in pace, the pacer from New Zealand is extremely difficult to read in death overs. He has taken a beating in the past but seems a much improved bowler since the 2024 season.
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