Ronchi, Oram cleared for PSL coaching roles, to miss New Zealand assignments

New Zealand's assistant coaches Luke Ronchi and Jacob Oram have been granted leave by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to take up coaching assignments with Islamabad United in the 2026 Pakistan Super League, starting March 26. Ronchi will serve as head coach, with Oram as one of his assistants.

The PSL runs until late April, meaning both will miss New Zealand's upcoming series against South Africa and the tour of Bangladesh.

New Zealand's performance manager Mike Sandle said NZC supported the move, noting it would help Ronchi and Oram develop their coaching skills outside the national setup.

"This is a great chance for Luke and Jake to further their coaching experience and grow their skills outside of the New Zealand cricket environment," Sandle said. "We believe they will not only personally benefit from their time at the PSL, but they will also be able to bring back knowledge that can aid the BLACKCAPS and NZC in the future."

Sandle confirmed Jonny Bassett-Graham and Graeme Aldridge will assist head coach Rob Walter in the South Africa series, while Brendon Donkers will assist on the Bangladesh tour.

"One of the added bonuses is the opportunity it affords other coaches in the NZC network," Sandle added. "It will be great to have Jonny, Graeme and Brendon join the BLACKCAPS… Their involvement will help strengthen our high-performance coaching depth."

New Zealand's five-match T20I home series against South Africa begins on March 15.