Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand in the first three of the five-match T20I series against South Africa starting March 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga.

Santner alongside seven other Blackcaps squad members from the recently held T20 World Cup 2026 have been named in the squad.

While Santner, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson will be available for the first three games, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi will stay for the entire series.

Tom Latham has returned in the T20 set-up and will take over the captaincy once Santner leaves.

“Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert will miss the series to rest and freshen up, alongside Matt Henry who will also take some time to spend with his new baby,” the statement said.

Top order batters Katene Clarke and Nick Kelly and spinner Jayden Lennox have recieved their maiden T20I call-ups.

New Zealand T20 squad vs South Africa

Mitchell Santner (c) (1-3), Katene Clarke (4-5), Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk) (4-5), Devon Conway (wk) (1-3), Lockie Ferguson (2-3), Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Tom Latham (wk) (c) 4-5), Jayden Lennox (4-5), Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi