New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke ruled out for three months with back stress fracture

‌Will O’Rourke will miss New Zealand’s hectic white-ball season ahead of the T20 World Cup in 2026 as the pacer was ruled out for a minimum of three months with a stress fracture in his back. O’Rourke had complained of back stiffness during the first Test against Zimbabwe, which ruled him out of the second and final game in the two-match series.

The latest diagnosis will see him undergo a strength and conditioning block of three months, after which a concrete timeline on his availability will come to light. However, the Kiwi pacer is set to miss white ball series against Australia and England in October.

The Kiwis will host Trans-Tasman rivals Australia for a three-match T20I series starting on October 1 before welcoming England for three T20Is and three ODIs from the 18th of the same month. He will also be unavailable for the white-ball leg of the home series against West Indies, which will include five T20Is and three ODIs in November.

"We're really feeling for Will at the moment and wishing him speedy recovery," Walter said in an NZC release. "He's had such an impressive start to his career and so naturally it is disappointing when an injury like this comes along, but he's a resilient guy and determined to put the work in and come back stronger."

"We're very hopeful for that [recovery time frame]. Stress fractures are obviously almost part and parcel of the craft, really, but never nice when it does happen. At this stage, we will reassess after that three-month mark, hopefully the healing process has gone really well and we can get into that return to play."

Meanwhile, opener Finn Allen and all-rounder Glenn Phillips will also be unavailable for the T20I series against Australia. Phillips is yet to recover from a groin injury that ruled him out of the Zimbabwe tour, while Allen will be out of action for three months after surgery for a stress fracture to his right foot.

White-ball captain Mitchell Santner was the latest addition to the Black Caps’ growing injury list after he returned home from The Hundred with groin pain. He looks a doubtful starter as he races against time after it was confirmed that he will undergo an abdominal surgery.

"Mitch is a world-class player and a crucial part of our T20 side from a skills and leadership point of view," Walter said. "With that in mind, we expect to name him in our squad when we announce it in a couple of weeks' time, and from there we can assess how his rest and rehabilitation progress following surgery, before making a call on the eve of the series.

"It's disappointing to lose the services of Glenn and Finn, who have played important batting roles in our T20 set up in recent times. Like in Zimbabwe, their unavailability will present opportunities for others to put their hands up in what's going to be a hugely exciting and important series against Australia," Walter concluded.