New Zealand was hit by the injury of their premier all-rounder, Glenn Phillips, who was picked during the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 and was ruled out of the T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe recently. The depth of the injury was such that he won’t be able to recover in time for the upcoming two-match Test series against Zimbabwe.

As a replacement, the New Zealand Cricket board has added the off-spin all-rounder, Michael Bracewell, for the first Test of the series in Bulawayo. The 34-year-old was not initially part of the original squad due to his commitments with the Hundred. He, however, was already in Zimbabwe as a part of the Blackcaps’ T20I squad of the tri-series.

See Also: ‘The batters are…’- Steve Smith gives stern warning to England batters for Ashes 2025/26

However, with the schedule allowing him to feature at least for the first Test of the series, their head coach, Rob Walter, reckoned that it was a straightforward decision to get him into the 15-member squad, thanks to the skills he brings to the table in any format of the game.

Michael Bracewell replaces injured Glenn Phillips for New Zealand’s first Test against Zimbabwe

‘Glenn's injury provided a gap in the Test squad, and Michael is the closest like-for-like replacement. His experience and skillset will be a great asset and allow us to keep the same balance of the team.’ The former Protea and current New Zealand head coach, Rob Walter, expressed this during a recent statement.

The Otago batter has a short experience of the longest format with 259 runs in 14 innings at an average of under 20, with the best score of unbeaten 74 runs, besides picking up 24 wickets at an average of 41.79. His last Test match came in 2024 at Wellington against Sri Lanka, having debuted at Trent Bridge a year ago against England.

Bracewell will later return to the United Kingdom and link up with his franchise of the Hundred, Southern Brave, after the first Test. A decision on the replacement for the second Test will be taken in due course, as the released statement of the NZC informed. The two-match series begins later this week, marking the return of the Kiwis to Zimbabwe after nine years.

Just before their second game of the tri-series in the shortest format, involving both Zimbabwe and South Africa, New Zealand has suffered a major injury setback as their star performer is ruled out of the series with injury and will not take part in the rest of the tournament at the Harare Sports Club.

The batting all-rounder for the Blackcaps, Glenn Phillips, has been withdrawn from the trip after injuring his right groin. The veteran player picked up the injury during the Major League Cricket (MLC) final against MI New York. He was assessed on his arrival, and later, it was decided that he would need several weeks to rehabilitate.

See Also: 'I think we are...'- India's assistant coach lauds pacer ahead of Jasprit Bumrah before ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

The Wellington Firebirds’ Tim Robinson, who joined the squad as the cover of the players in the MLC final and smashed a fine unbeaten knock of 75 runs in 57 balls at a strike rate of 131.58 to earn the player of the match award, will now stay with the squad for the remainder of the T20 tri-series.

Glenn Philips ruled out for New Zealand in T20I tri-series

The Blackcaps head coach, Rob Walter, expressed his disappointment with the all-rounder, who joined Finn Allen as the second player to be ruled out of the series. ‘It’s disappointing to lose someone of Glenn’s calibre. Much like Finn, we feel for Glenn and that he misses out on this series.’ Walter informed the board in a press release.

‘We know he was eager to get out on the field for the BLACKCAPS, and unfortunately, he won’t be able to do that for this series. We know he’ll work hard to get himself back onto the park, and I look forward to when that happens.’ The former Protea head-coach added. Phillips has smashed 1929 runs in 74 T20I innings for the Kiwis at a strike rate of 140.59, besides collecting six wickets.

The replacement of Phillips for the Test squad will be revealed later. Phillips will return home with Mitch Hay and Jimmy Neesham, who were also called in as the cover for the missing players alongside Robinson. The Kiwis won their opening fixture against South Africa and will be eager to earn the same result against Zimbabwe.

Match 29: 2025 Major League Cricket – Washington Freedom vs MI New York

Washington Freedom beat MI New York by 6 wickets at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill in Match 29 of the 2025 MLC season. MI New York won the toss and chose to bat first, but they couldn’t get going. Washington’s bowlers were very disciplined and didn’t give away easy runs. MI New York managed only 112 runs for 8 wickets in 18 overs.

Kunwarjeet Singh was their top scorer with 33 from 30 balls. Sunny Patel (16) and Heath Richards (16) added small scores but no big partnerships developed. Glenn Maxwell bowled very well today, took crucial wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs. Glenn Phillips also took 2 wickets in a single over, and Jack Edwards kept it tight with 1 wicket for 14 in 3 overs.

In Chasing 113, Washington Freedom batted confidently and won in 15 overs with 4 wickets down. Wicketkeeper Andries Gous was solid with an unbeaten 46 from 34 balls, making sure the chase stayed on track. Mark Chapman added quick runs with 27 off 18, and Glenn Phillips finished it off with 14 from 11. MI New York’s bowlers tried hard but didn’t have enough runs to defend. Tristan Luus took 2 wickets for 39 runs, while Nosthush Kenjige (1/19) and Fabian Allen (1/20) took a wicket each. It was a strong, all-round performance by Washington Freedom to secure a comfortable win.

ALSO READ: OTD: Birthday of MS Dhoni, who turns myths into reality

Twitter reactions after WF wins 29th match of MLC 2025

Literally had zero hopes with LAKR but they knocked out the best team of the tournament 💥🔥

We are lifting the trophy baby 🏆💛#MLC #MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/wrMtGgl4RF

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) July 7, 2025

MINY sodhapitan 😒👎

BUT LAKR 😭😭😭 Won it for us 💛
Thanks da mapla 🫂 LAKR 😭

TSK IN Q1 💛

MLC 🏆 we are coming for you 💛🏆🦁 https://t.co/h8IkHz5PBh

— Its_Me_Maxeyyy 💛 (@maxeyyy_tweets) July 7, 2025

Washington Freedom end the league stage on top of the table with a win over MI New York! 💙🔝

Back-to-back Player of the Match awards for skipper Glenn Maxwell! 🎖️#WAFvMINY #MLC2025 #GlennMaxwell #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/C4jHkoCIdQ

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) July 7, 2025

MLC Match 29: Maxwell, Gous take Freedom into Top 2 in Table; MI NY Qualify for playoffs
🇺🇸🏆🏏https://t.co/0WEfgKbuFS pic.twitter.com/qLJbsPhoee

— Cricket World (@Cricket_World) July 7, 2025

First MLC season has each team play just 5 games in the league stage, and second season had each team play 7 games.

In that sense, this is the first full fledged MLC season and finishing 2nd is a testament to TSK’s consistency over a longer period of time.

Hopefully we kick on… pic.twitter.com/bbDm0ceRW0

— Vibhor (@Vibhor4CSK) July 7, 2025

Tristan gets another! Maxwell this time 🔥

Keep 'em coming, boys! 🎯

WF - 80/4 (11.3 overs)#OneFamily #MINewYork #MLC #WFvMINY

— MI New York (@MINYCricket) July 6, 2025

MLC 2025 WAF vs MINY Highlights | Washington Freedom Won by 6 Wickets

Read: https://t.co/WfZuzsdDPT#MLC2025 #cricketnews

— Times of Sports (@timesofsports) July 7, 2025

MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET
Match 29

MI New York vs Washington Freedom

WAF won by 6 wickets

MINY 112-8
WAF 113-4

— Sir Haris Rauf 154.7 (@H_RaufAcademy) July 7, 2025

MLC 2025 – Match 19: Washington Freedom Beat San Francisco Unicorns by 12 Runs to Reach Playoffs

In Match 19 of the 2025 Major League Cricket season at Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas, Washington Freedom played an important match with San Francisco Unicorns. It was an important game to reach a playoff spot. Washington won the toss and chose to bat first. They played well with both bat and ball to win by 12 runs and secure their place in the playoffs after winning this crucial game.

Batting first, Washington scored 169 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips was the top scorer with 58 runs from 39 balls. Jack Edwards also did well with 42 runs. Obus Pienaar added quick runs at the end with 30 from just 12 balls. For San Francisco, Xavier Bartlett bowled very well, taking 4 wickets for 32 runs. Romario Shepherd and Haris Rauf took one wicket each.

Chasing 170 to win, the Unicorns managed 157 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Matthew Short fought hard with 67 runs from 40 balls. Jahmar Hamilton scored 31 off 18, and Sanjay Krishnamurthy made 24 off 21. But the rest of the team could not finish the job. Mitchell Owen bowled brilliantly for Washington, taking 5 wickets for just 17 runs in 3 overs. Jack Edwards and Amila Aponso took one wicket each to help Washington secure an important win.

ALSO READ: TGC vs DD TNPL 2025: Players to watch out

Twitter reactions after WF wins 19th match of  MLC 2025

😰 SFU loose their first wicket!

📺 Watch live and exclusive on https://t.co/ktQmbfqs7H#MLC | #WFvSFU pic.twitter.com/imR1VyQVXv

— Willow TV US (@willowtv) June 29, 2025

Washington Freedom registered their sixth consecutive victory, ended San Francisco Unicorns' six-match winning streak, and qualified for the playoffs in MLC 2025! 💙👏

Mitchell Owen picked up a five-wicket haul and bagged the Player of the Match award! 🎖️#SFUvWF #MLC2025… pic.twitter.com/aLNc9BK5Ek

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) June 29, 2025

Glenn Phillips brought the fireworks, Mitchell Owen cleaned up with a fifer and Washington Freedom ended the San Francisco Unicorns' unbeaten run to seal a playoff berth! 💥

🔗https://t.co/9fZNSjclQD pic.twitter.com/kC1XOkRJ9E

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) June 29, 2025

Glenn Phillips first half-century in MLC helped Washington Freedom sixth consecutive win beating table topper San Francisco Unicorns by 12 runs and into the qualifier.#MLC pic.twitter.com/IQklYtKevc

— 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐬 🇳🇿 (@Kiwiscricketfan) June 29, 2025

Mitchell Owen single-handedly turned this game around, picking up an incredible five-wicket haul for the @WSHFreedom! This win made WF the second team to qualify for the playoffs in July. 💥 pic.twitter.com/iMM7CQUMFj

— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) June 29, 2025

A stellar show from the Washington Freedom in the finals as they beat the San Francisco Unicorns by 96 runs and were crowned as CHAMPIONS OF MLC 2024. pic.twitter.com/fXtsBGfxCY

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) July 29, 2024

During Match 19 of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season, Washington Freedom played against San Francisco Unicorns at Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas. Freedom won the toss and chose to bat. In a game where a playoff was at stake, Washington performed well with both bat and ball, ultimately securing a 12-run victory in a closely contested match, a result that confirmed their qualification for the playoffs.

Washington Freedom Innings

Batting first, Washington Freedom scored a gritty total of 169/6 in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips was the standout performer with a fluent 58 off 39 deliveries, anchoring the innings in the middle overs. Jack Edwards chipped in with a solid 42 off as many balls. Obus Pienaar played a quickfire cameo of 30 off just 12 balls in the death overs. San Francisco’s bowlers had some success, with Xavier Bartlett being the pick of the lot, taking 4/32 in his 4 overs. Romario Shepherd (1/28) and Haris Rauf (1/40) picked up one wicket each but couldn't prevent Washington from finishing strongly.

San Francisco Unicorns Innings

In response, San Francisco Unicorns lost out despite a good fight, finishing at 157/9 in their 20 overs. Skipper Matthew Short contributed a stunning knock of 67 from 40 balls. Jahmar Hamilton contributed 31 off 18 balls, with Sanjay Krishnamurthy also contributing 24 off 21. The rest of the batting order could not capitalize, as Mitchell Owen's incredible 5/17 spell in 3 overs turned the game around for Washington. Jack Edwards and Amila Aponso also picked up a wicket each, as they limited the Unicorns and secured an important win.

See Also: MLC 2025, Match 20: Los Angeles Knight Riders vs Seattle Orcas Full Match Highlights

Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns: Match Scorecard

Washington Freedom – 169/6 (20 Overs)

San Francisco Unicorns – 157/9 (20 Overs)

The Guyana Amazon Warriors have officially announced their team for the 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), looking to take that extra step after being runners-up the previous season. In their 2024 final, the Warriors missed out against the St. Lucia Kings, captained by Faf du Plessis. With renewed energy and strategic signings, they’re determined to make a strong comeback this year under an experienced core and promising new additions.

The CPL 2025 player draft was conducted on Wednesday, 18 June, where retained stars, overseas recruits, and breakout players were revealed. Presented by Alex Jordan with expert analysis from Daren Ganga and Nikhil Uttamchandani, the show brought out significant changes across teams. For the Amazon Warriors, overseas recruits like Imran Tahir, Moeen Ali, Glenn Phillips, Dwaine Pretorius, and Hassan Khan strengthen an already strong list of players.

This season's CPL has a new twist—the last three rounds of the draft were reserved for West Indies Breakout League players. Every franchise will have at least one such new player in every game now. The 2025 season begins on 14 August and goes on until 21 September, with the grand final to be held in Guyana, giving the Amazon Warriors a possible home ground.

See Also: CPL 2025: Barbados Royals announce their squad for upcoming season

Guyana Amazon Warriors Squad for CPL 2025

The Guyana Amazon Warriors 2025 team consists of the following: Imran Tahir, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Glenn Phillips, Gudakesh Motie, Moeen Ali, Shamar Joseph, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamarh Brooks, Kemol Savory, Hassan Khan, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Quentin Sampson, and Riyad Latif.

Guyana Amazon Warriors have announced their squad for CPL 2025. They've signed following overseas players :

Glenn Phillips 🇳🇿
Imran Tahir 🇿🇦
Dwaine Pretorius 🇿🇦
Hassan Khan 🇺🇸
Moeen Ali 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/we0JBu7cLY

— T20 Franchise Rosters (Men) (@t20tracker) June 18, 2025

The Gujarat Titans (GT) have signed Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka as a cover for the injured Glenn Phillips for the rest of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Phillips, signed by GT for Rs 2 crore in the auction, injured his groin during the Titans' encounter against SunRisers Hyderabad on April 6. While the New Zealand international did not have a chance to play for the playing XI this season, he was a common sight taking the field as a substitute. He has now headed home for recovery, and the franchise hopes to see him back in cricket soon.

As a response, GT has re-signed a familiar name in Shanaka, who was earlier among the team members for IPL 2023. The Sri Lankan all-rounder played three games during his earlier stint, scoring 26 runs at a strike rate of 100, but did not get a chance to bowl. Shanaka offers a bucketload of overseas experience to the team. The 32-year-old has played 102 T20Is for Sri Lanka, scoring 1,456 runs and taking 33 wickets. He also has experience in 71 ODIs and six Tests.

ALSO SEE: IPL 2025: Heinrich Klaasen’s glove mistake turns Ryan Rickelton’s dismissal into costly No-Ball

Shanaka's Recent Form and Potential Impact

He joins the IPL after a winning campaign with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, where he performed crucially in allowing the team to claim the title. Shanaka accumulated 164 runs from 10 matches and added four wickets, demonstrating his worth in pressure games. He also played for Sri Lanka's domestic red-ball competitions this year.

With GT fighting to find consistency this year, Shanaka may find himself in for a more significant role under captaincy from Shubman Gill. His addition brings depth and flexibility into a team that aims to build up its middle order.

Updated Gujarat Titans Squad: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (Captain), Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, Dasun Shanaka, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Arshad Khan, Jayant Yadav, Nishant Sindhu, Kulwant Khejroliya, Gerald Coetzee, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra, Gurnoor Brar, Karim Janat.

Gujarat Titans Deliver Crushing Blow as Phillips Is Out

The Gujarat Titans have been dealt a huge blow in their IPL 2025 journey, with New Zealand's all-rounder Glenn Phillips being out for the rest of the tournament.From reports that Phillips has a groin strain, something that will keep him unavailable for the critical latter stage of the tournament. This is a huge loss for the middle-order batting and team strength of the Titans.

Phillips, who is known for his aggressive batting and rapid fielding, would probably be one of the most important performers for the Titans in the pursuit of the IPL title. His skill to smash the ball during the middle overs and his success as a part-time off-spinner were attributes that the side was keen to exploit. The groin injury has ended that possibility, and the franchise is now attempting to discover a sufficient substitute. The time lost to injury is disastrous for the Titans, given that they are approaching the decisive stage of the tournament when all their games are so critical to them. Team management now has to re-schedule the team and replace a player with one that will be able to do justice in filling the void of Phillips' absence. Effect on Titans' Middle-Order and Strategic Realignment

The loss of Glenn Phillips will certainly leave a humongous void in the Gujarat Titans' middle-order.

Pressure cricket and belligerent batting from him assisted his side in coming out on top. The batting order of the Titans will also have to contend with changes during his absence, and other team members would have to raise their game and shoulder increased responsibility. The team may well have to look at their bench strength or include a cover player, possibly an international all-rounder or specialist middle-order bat. In addition, Phillips' periodic bowling provided stability to Titans' bowling attack and gave the captain more options in pivotal phases of the game.

Also Read:-IPL 2025 update: Teams rising and falling this season

His absence will compel the team to rethink their bowling strategy and most probably have to depend more on their primary bowlers. The coaching team will have to study the strengths and weaknesses of the team and make strategic changes to keep their competitive advantage. The Titans' capacity to respond to this unforeseen loss will be a crucial determinant of their fate in the remainder of the IPL 2025 season.

In a cruel twist of fate in Match 19 of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans' Glenn Phillips got what seemed to be a groin injury while attempting a fielding act, putting a cloud on his debut game for the season.

Phillips, who came in as a substitute fielder, was a part of a routine fielding action in the sixth over of Sunrisers Hyderabad's innings. With Prasidh Krishna bowling to Ishan Kishan, the left-handed batter drove the ball to point and took a quick single. Phillips reacted sharply, running in and letting out a crisp throw in the direction of the stumps. But as soon as he had released the throw, he fell to the grass, cradling his groin in apparent agony.

The stadium audience gasped as the Kiwi all-rounder stayed motionless for a couple of seconds. The Gujarat Titans' physio rushed out immediately, and following some delay, Phillips was helped off the field, clearly in pain. The injury remains to be officially determined by the franchise.

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Gujarat Titans Hit by Early Setback

The match was fought out after what had been an electrifying beginning to the game. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field first, looking to cash in on SRH's recent run of poor form. Three consecutive losses had brought them down to the bottom rung of the points table.

Mohammed Siraj provided GT with a flying start, relegating Travis Head in the very first over for a meager 8 runs. The old pacer went on to complete his 100th IPL wicket by dispatching Abhishek Sharma for 18, caught by Rahul Tewatia. Prasidh Krishna continued with the rout by removing Ishan Kishan, caught for 17, leaving SRH at 50/3 after eight overs.

🚨 Injury for Glenn Phillips! 😦

The GT batter's fielding effort might have pulled his groin!

Watch LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/meyJbjwpV0#IPLonJioStar 👉 #SRHvGT | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 Hindi & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/kChy6hl8AF

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 6, 2025

Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen then began rebuilding, rescuing a 50-run partnership to steady the ship. Klaasen was the more aggressive of the two, thrashing 27 off just 19 balls before falling to R Sai Kishore in the 14th over. The left-arm spinner struck again some time later, dismissing Reddy for a handy 31, leaving SRH at 105/5 as they headed towards the second time-out.

A Blow to GT's Bench Strength

Phillips's injury is not just a disappointment on a personal level but also a strategic blow to the Gujarat Titans. Chosen for ₹2 crore at the IPL 2025 mega-auction, the New Zealand sensation was envisioned as a utility player providing explosive batting, valuable bowling, and excellent fielding to the side. In a twist of fate, it was his opening match of the season on the field, and as a replacement player to boot.

ALSO SEE: Watch: KKR players attend Honey Singh's India Tour in Kolkata amid IPL 2025

Although he hadn't yet been included in the playing XI, Phillips had been a vocal figure in and around the squad, celebrated for his athleticism and upbeat attitude. Off the field, he's equally celebrated for his sporting multidisciplinary approach, having attempted golf, archery, and padel between cricketing activity.

Earlier in the season, Phillips had also shown concern regarding the Impact Player rule, noting how it would make it more difficult for all-rounders like him to push their way into the team. His injury now adds to the uncertainty regarding his role and availability in the future. While their camp has not been officially reported, initial signs point to a hamstring or groin pull, both of which have differing recovery periods. Medical professionals advise that slight pulls may take mere weeks to get over, while severe cases can take over a month or risk a player missing the remainder of his season.

For the time being, the Gujarat Titans will hope for the best as they juggle a crowded schedule and aim to keep going on a high after an impressive beginning to their campaign. As for Glenn Phillips, fans across the globe will be wishing him a quick recovery and hoping to be back watching him do what he does best illuminating the field with his never-ending energy and game-altering talent.