Who Is Matt Henry? NZ Bowler Takes 6/27 vs India — Nov. 13, 2026

Information checked: November 13, 2026 at 8:15 PM in Sydney, Australia (AEDT, UTC+11:00; November 13, 2026, 09:15 UTC).

Matt Henry is New Zealand's experienced right-arm fast-medium bowler, and he just provided a vivid answer to why India–New Zealand fans know his name. On Friday, November 13, 2026, Henry took six wickets for 27 runs as New Zealand defeated India by 244 runs in the fourth one-day international (ODI) at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. His first over dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and captain Shreyas Iyer without a run between them, turning India's chase of 334 into an immediate crisis.

The result gave New Zealand its first victory of the five-match ODI series and reduced India's lead to 2–1, with one match remaining after the third ODI was washed out. For anyone seeing Henry trend alongside Will Young, the two made complementary contributions: Young scored 125 from 108 balls to set up New Zealand's 333, and Henry then dismantled the top order. The match result is confirmed by original reporting from Reuters; biographical details below are checked against the International Cricket Council (ICC) and New Zealand Cricket.

Destaques

• Latest result: Henry finished with 6/27 as New Zealand bowled India out for 89 on November 13 and won by 244 runs.
• Player profile: Matthew James Henry, born December 14, 1991, in Christchurch, is a 34-year-old right-arm fast-medium bowler who bats right-handed.
• Why he returned: Henry missed matches following a quadriceps problem and a collision in training; New Zealand Cricket targeted his return for the fourth ODI.
• Next fixture: The fifth ODI is scheduled for November 15 at Bay Oval, followed by a Test series beginning November 19 in Wellington; selection for an individual match should not be assumed.

What did Matt Henry do against India on November 13, 2026?

The fourth ODI began at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT, UTC+13:00). That is 02:00 UTC on November 13, or 1:00 p.m. the same day in Sydney and Melbourne, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11:00). New Zealand uses daylight saving time at this point in November, so the two-hour difference from Sydney is specific to this date.

India chose to field and New Zealand reached 333 all out. Will Young's 125 included 14 fours and four sixes, with Tim Seifert contributing 58 and Finn Allen 41. Chasing 334, India lost Rohit, Kohli, and Iyer in Henry's opening over and never recovered. Henry's final figures of 6 wickets for 27 runs helped dismiss India for 89. The margin was 244 runs. The sixth wicket completed the most consequential ODI spell of the day, not a forecast about his future performances.

Those figures are particularly significant because Henry had been managing fitness issues earlier in this tour. The result is also why a player explainer matters more than a simple name search: the same bowler who had missed the third ODI returned to produce the decisive opening spell in the fourth. For a scorecard and subsequent changes, readers can consult the ICC fourth ODI match center and Reuters' original match report.

Who is Matt Henry, and where is the New Zealand bowler from?

His full name is Matthew James Henry. He was born on December 14, 1991, in Christchurch, on New Zealand's South Island. He is 34 years old as of November 13, 2026, and will turn 35 in December. He developed through Canterbury cricket and made his New Zealand international debut in an ODI against India on January 31, 2014. His Test career began in 2015. The ICC lists his principal role as bowler, his bowling style as right-arm fast-medium, and his batting style as right-handed.

Henry is not primarily a specialist in extreme speed. His value comes from precision: repeatable line and length, movement through the air, and seam movement off the pitch. That allows him to test a batter's judgment just outside off stump, produce edges to the slip cordon, or bring the stumps and pads into play. New-ball spells can be particularly dangerous because a batter has little time to settle when the ball moves late.

What does “right-arm fast-medium” mean?

It describes a pace bowler who delivers with the right arm at a speed generally below the fastest specialists but quick enough to exploit swing, seam, and bounce. It is a classification, not a verified speed for any single ball. Swing is sideways movement in the air; seam movement occurs after the ball pitches. Henry's combination of control and movement explains why he can threaten high-profile batters without needing to rely on maximum pace alone.

Why was Matt Henry absent earlier in the India vs New Zealand series?

The timeline matters because individual injury updates changed during the tour. The ICC reported on October 28 that Henry hurt his quadriceps during the second T20 international against India in Christchurch and would miss the remaining T20Is. Later, he and teammate Devon Conway collided while trying to take a catch at training ahead of the ODIs. Conway was diagnosed with concussion. Henry was initially cleared after assessment, but New Zealand Cricket said on November 9 that he was reassessed in Wellington and advised to target a return in ODI number four, rather than the third match in Hamilton.

That published progression should not be reduced to an unsupported claim that Henry was either never injured or fully available for every earlier ODI. New Zealand Cricket named him in the revised fourth-ODI squad, and the November 13 result confirmed his on-field return. The available announcements do not establish his selection or workload for every subsequent fixture. See New Zealand Cricket's November 9 squad and injury update and the ICC's October 28 T20I injury report.

What are Matt Henry's biggest career achievements?

Henry's reputation did not begin with one outstanding ODI. Across formats he has been part of New Zealand teams in major tournaments and important overseas series. Three moments give first-time viewers a useful picture of his standing:

• India Tests in 2024: Henry was among the leading seam threats during New Zealand's historic 3–0 Test-series win in India, including an influential performance in Bengaluru.
• ICC Champions Trophy in 2025: He took a tournament-leading 10 wickets in four matches, including 5/42 against India in the group stage. A shoulder injury ruled him out of the final.
• New Zealand cricket honors: He received the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal in April 2025, recognizing his performances over the preceding domestic and international season.

These milestones are documented in the ICC's player biography. The New Zealand Cricket archive independently identifies his full name, birthplace, bowling style, and domestic teams, including Canterbury. Career aggregate statistics change every time he plays, so older archive totals should not be mistaken for live post-match records.

How is Matt Henry different from Will Young?

The distinction is straightforward. Henry is a frontline pace bowler; Will Young is a specialist top-order batter. In the November 13 ODI, Young supplied the runs and Henry took the wickets. Young's 125 made a demanding total possible, while Henry's early burst removed India's experienced batting core. Both names appeared prominently in coverage for different reasons, and neither player's role should be confused with that of an all-rounder who regularly contributes equally in both disciplines.

What comes next for Henry and New Zealand against India?

The fifth and final ODI is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The advertised start is 3:00 p.m. NZDT (UTC+13:00), equivalent to 02:00 UTC and 1:00 p.m. AEDT in Sydney on November 15. India leads 2–1, so a New Zealand win would draw the series 2–2, while an India win would make it 3–1. Weather or schedule changes could affect play, and neither result can be predicted from the fourth ODI alone.

New Zealand has also selected Henry in its squad for the two-match Test series against India, beginning in Wellington on November 19. Being named in the squad does not itself guarantee a place in the playing eleven. For definitive selections and changes, use the ICC's Test squad announcement and match-day team sheets. The important takeaway for India–New Zealand followers is that Henry is an established international seam bowler whose fitness and new-ball impact can meaningfully shape a match, as November 13 demonstrated.

FAQ: Matt Henry and India vs New Zealand

Is Matt Henry a batsman or a bowler?

He is principally a right-arm fast-medium bowler for New Zealand. He bats right-handed but is selected mainly for his bowling.

How many wickets did Matt Henry take against India on November 13, 2026?

He took six wickets for 27 runs in the fourth ODI at Bay Oval. New Zealand won by 244 runs, with India all out for 89.

Will Matt Henry play the next India vs New Zealand match?

His selection for the November 15 ODI was not confirmed by the sources checked for this article. He is in New Zealand's announced Test squad for the series beginning November 19, but the playing eleven will be determined separately.

Primary sources checked November 13, 2026: Reuters, fourth-ODI original report; ICC player profile; New Zealand Cricket injury and squad update; New Zealand Cricket player archive; and ICC updated ODI squads.