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Why Is Jacob Duffy Not in New Zealand Playing XI Tonight for NZ vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Clash?

Chandra Moulee Das

Last updated: February 21, 2026

2 min read

Why Is Jacob Duffy Not in New Zealand Playing XI Tonight for NZ vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Clash? The answer is simple: Jacob Duffy is not playing the match because he has not been selected in the lineup.

Why Is Jacob Duffy Not in New Zealand Playing XI Tonight for NZ vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Clash?

The question ‘Why Is Jacob Duffy Not in New Zealand Playing XI Tonight for NZ vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Clash?’ has been trending since the coin toss. The news of the star pacer’s absence was confirmed by Blackcaps skipper Mitchell Santner during the coin toss. It is understood that Jacob Duffy was dropped for the returning Lockie Ferguson. Notably, Ferguson was absent in the last game since he had travelled back home on paternal leave for the birth of his child.

Speaking at the toss, Santner said, “We have 3 changes. We have gone with an extra spinner Ish Sodhi instead of Kyle Jamieson. Lockie is back for Duffy. Could be a little bit different here (compared to the conditions in Chennai), but we have seen a lot of the games throughout the tournament here and we know the challenge they possess. Should be entertaining, they got some good spinners.”

So far in the T20 World Cup 2026, Duffy has featured in all four group-stage games. However, he hasn’t exactly lived upto his credentials, managing only three wickets in four games. Furthermore, his role can now be limited in the Super 8 stage. While the Kiwis played all their group games in India, they will play the Super 8s in Sri Lanka where spin is expected to play a bigger role, as is evident by the inclusion of Ish Sodhi and subsequently Duffy might spend more time on the sidelines.

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NZ vs PAK Playing XIs:

New Zealand: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

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