Cole McConchie has been left out of the XI.
Why is Cole McConchie not playing IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 final today? The reason is that New Zealand want more pacers in the XI.
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The T20 World Cup 2026 final is being played on a fresh red-soil wicket that will offer ample bounce and carry. So, pacers might get some assistance throughout the innings, and New Zealand had only two specialist pacers – Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson – in the XI.
Hence, they decided to leave Cole McConchie out and bring in Jacob Duffy for the summit clash. Duffy is naturally suited to the conditions: he is tall, generates extra bounce, and naturally hits shorter lengths.
His return was always on the cards, as we mentioned in our tactical playbook, since the conditions and opponent demanded this change. So, this is the answer to the question ‘Why is Cole McConchie not playing IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 final today?’
Duffy will likely bowl in the powerplay and middle overs, with Matt Henry opening the innings with Glenn Phillips. In between, two spinners – Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra – will chip in from the other end.
Cole McConchie was supposed to be India’s biggest threat, particularly considering that he is an off-spinner, a variety that has troubled the Men in Blue throughout the competition. He bowled a superb over against South Africa in the semifinal, where he dismissed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in successive balls.
His spell proved vital, as New Zealand restricted the Proteas to a below-par score and won the contest comprehensively. While the Kiwis preferred Phillips to attack India early on, McConchie was a more specialist spinner and would have troubled the openers more.
New Zealand could have left out James Neesham, whose bowling can often be expensive and will unlikely work on a flat Ahmedabad surface. Maybe he gives some batting cushion, but with Mitchell Santner’s improved batting form, they don’t need as much batting depth.
Nevertheless, the Kiwis have made the decision and would want it to come right. They are bowling first after winning the toss, with India going unchanged to win the trophy for a record third time.
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
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