The Plunket Shield is New Zealand’s premier domestic first-class cricket competition, featuring six teams competing for the coveted title. The 2026 season began on 18 November 2025 and continues until 30 March 2026.
Northern Knights enter the tournament as defending champions, having won the 2024-25 season. All teams are set to compete with energy and determination, showcasing their skills in the challenging red-ball format.
This blog highlights the Plunket Shield 2026, including the participating teams, their full squads, and a look at their performances over the years.
Teams & Squads for Plunket Shield 2026 Season
The 2026 Plunket Shield season promises an exciting contest among New Zealand’s top domestic cricket teams. Each side will aim for consistency, endurance, and the coveted title in this premier first-class tournament.
Teams for Plunket Shield 2026:
- Auckland
- Wellington
- Canterbury
- Otago
- Northern Districts
- Central Districts
With a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, the competition will test every team’s skills over several months of high-quality red-ball cricket.
Squads
Auckland
Bevon Jacobs, Dale Phillips, Harrish Kannan, Lachlan Stackpole, Rohit Gulati, Sean Solia, Siddhesh Dixit, Simon Keene, Cam Fletcher (wk), Adithya Ashok, Angus Olliver, Ben Lister, Jock McKenzie, Jordan Sussex, Matthew Gibson, Samrath Singh
Wellington
Jesse Tashkoff, Nick Kelly, Oscar Jackson, Sam Mycock, Samuel Morgan, Tim Robinson, Logan van Beek, Nick Greenwood, Peter Younghusband, Callum McLachlan (wk), Gareth Severin (wk), Amogh Paranjpe, James Hartshorn, Liam Dudding, Michael Snedden, Ryan Tsourgas, Yahya Zeb
Canterbury
Chad Bowes, Jesse Frew, Leo Carter, Matthew Boyle, Rhys Mariu, Cole McConchie, Henry Shipley, Michael Rippon, Angus McKenzie, Cameron Paul, Fraser Sheat, Ish Sodhi, Matt Rowe, Michael Rae, Scott Janett, Sean Davey
Otago
Jack Boyle, Jacob Cumming, Jamal Todd, Llew Johnson, Thorn Parkes, Troy Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Luke Georgeson, Matthew Bacon, Zac Cumming, Max Chu (wk), Andrew Hazeldine, Danru Ferns, Jake Gibson, Jarrod McKay, Mason Clarke
Northern Knights
Bharat Popli, Henry Cooper, Jeet Raval, Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Robert O’Donnell, Brett Hampton, Daryl Mitchell, Fergus Lellman, Kristian Clarke, Mitchell Santner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tim Pringle, Ben Pomare (wk), Tim Seifert (wk), Xavier Bell (wk), Joshua Brown, Matthew Fisher, Zak Gibson
Central Districts
Tom Bruce, Brad Schmulian, Dean Foxcroft, Doug Bracewell, Joey Field, Josh Clarkson, William Clark, Curtis Heaphy (wk), Dane Cleaver (wk), Ajaz Patel, Angus Schaw, Blair Tickner, Brett Randell, Jayden Lennox, Ray Toole, Toby Findlay
Plunket Shield – Most Successful Teams
Auckland is the most successful team in the history of the competition, having won the title 24 times.
| Position | Team | Number of titles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 24 |
| 2 | Wellington | 22 |
| 3 | Canterbury | 20 |
| 4 | Otago | 13 |
| 5 | Central Districts | 12 |
| 6 | Northern Knights | 9 |
Wellington is closely following Auckland with 20 titles, which may be why every Plunket Shield season brings so much excitement and anticipation.
Plunket Shield Winners List (Past 10 Years)
Northern Knights are the defending champions after winning the 2024/25 Plunket Shield season.
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 | Auckland |
| 2016/17 | Canterbury |
| 2017/18 | Central Districts |
| 2018/19 | Central Districts |
| 2019/20 | Wellington |
| 2020/21 | Canterbury |
| 2021/22 | Auckland |
| 2022/23 | Central Districts |
| 2023/24 | Wellington |
| 2024/25 | Northern Districts |
Plunket Shield 2026 – Fixtures
The tournament will begin on 18th November 2025, and the fixtures are given below,
| Match | Date | Time(Local) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Districts vs Auckland | 18 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North |
| Wellington vs Otago | 18 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Canterbury vs Northern Knights | 18 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | Mainpower Oval, Rangiora |
| Northern Knights vs Central Districts | 26 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui |
| Wellington vs Central Districts | 26 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Otago vs Canterbury | 26 November 2025 | 10:30 AM | University Oval, Dunedin |
| Central Districts vs Canterbury | 05 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | McLean Park, Napier |
| Northern Knights vs Otago | 05 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| Auckland vs Wellington | 05 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland |
| Northern Knights vs Wellington | 13 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | Cobham Oval, Whangarei |
| Canterbury vs Auckland | 13 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Otago vs Central Districts | 13 December 2025 | 10:30 AM | University Oval, Dunedin |
| Canterbury vs Otago | 28 February 2026 | 10:30 AM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Central Districts vs Wellington | 28 February 2026 | 10:30 AM | McLean Park, Napier |
| Auckland vs Northern Knights | 28 February 2026 | 10:30 AM | Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland |
| Auckland vs Otago | 09 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland |
| Central Districts vs Northern Knights | 09 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | McLean Park, Napier |
| Wellington vs Canterbury | 09 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Otago vs Northern Knights | 18 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | University Oval, Dunedin |
| Canterbury vs Central Districts | 18 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Mainpower Oval, Rangiora |
| Wellington vs Auckland | 18 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Auckland vs Canterbury | 27 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland |
| Northern Knights vs Central Districts | 27 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| Otago vs Wellington | 27 March 2026 | 10:30 AM | University Oval, Dunedin |
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Conclusion: All Six Teams are Ready to Battle for Plunket Shield Title!
The Plunket Shield 2026 season will feature six competitive teams battling for the top spot. Northern Knights will look to defend their title, while Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury remain strong contenders.
The tournament’s schedule from 18 November 2025 to 30 March 2026 offers multiple high-quality red-ball matches across New Zealand venues, ensuring excitement for fans.
With a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, every match promises competitive cricket and key moments that could decide the championship. This season will be closely watched by fans eager to see which team clinches the prestigious Plunket Shield.
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