New Zealand Cricket has officially announced that four standout players—Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Seifert, and Adam Milne will be receiving casual contracts for the 2026/27 season. Back in June, NZC revealed a central contracts list featuring 20 cricketers, and this latest move to bring on board these four talents is all about bolstering the team for the upcoming white-ball series against India later this year, as well as gearing up for the 2027 ODI World Cup. 

According to a statement from New Zealand Cricket, these casual contracts will kick off on August 1. NZ selector Gavin Larsen expressed his excitement about having Milne, Ferguson, Allen, and Seifert ready to take on the Men in Blue and compete in the crucial World Cup next year. Collectively, these four players bring a wealth of experience, having played over 400 international matches for New Zealand. 

“We’re delighted to add Finn, Lockie, Adam and Tim to our contracting programme for the next period. It goes without saying the talent and match-winning abilities all four players possess and we’ve seen them do just that for the BLACKCAPS on many occasions. Their skills are in demand around the world and we see that as a positive as they’re able to add to their experiences and bring those back to our environment,” Larsen said.

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As part of their casual contracts, the players will integrate into New Zealand’s high-performance system, benefiting from coaching, medical and mental skills support, and access to gym and cricket facilities. They will also be in the running for selection in the five-match ODI and T20I series against India, which is set to kick off in November.

“There’s no secret the in-bound India mega-tour is of critical importance to NZC on and off the field,”. The tour features 10 white-ball games over 25 days, followed immediately by a block of six Tests – so we’re well aware we’ll need a deep squad, particularly in the pace-bowling department, to be at our best across the different series,” Larsen added.

New Zealand Cricket has handed out casual contracts to Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Seifert, and Adam Milne for the 2026/27 season. This move is set to bolster their squad as they gear up for the upcoming white-ball series against India and the 2027 ODI World Cup.