JACOB DUFFY HONOURED WITH THE PLAYERS’ CAP
Jacob Duffy’s outstanding contribution across all three formats has been recognised by his teammates and coaches, with the Blackcaps fast bowler named the 15th recipient of The Players’ Cap.
Duffy was presented with The Players’ Cap by Luke Ronchi during the Blackcaps’ recent camp in Adelaide, following an outstanding period in which the Southlander established himself as one of New Zealand’s most consistent and dependable performers.
The award recognises his contribution over a demanding international programme, with voting covering the Zimbabwe tour, home series against Australia, England and the West Indies, the tour of India, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa’s visit to New Zealand and the Bangladesh series. Players’ commitments around the globe since voting closed meant the Adelaide camp was their first opportunity to come together and celebrate their highly regarded player-voted award.
Duffy noted the recognition given by those he plays alongside adds particular meaning to a memorable period in his career.
“It’s pretty special. Individual awards are always nice, but to get something that is voted on by the guys you’re playing alongside probably means that little bit more.
“They know the different roles people have within the team and what goes into trying to contribute to winning games, so to have that recognition from your teammates is pretty cool, I got a bit emotional at the presentation.”
Having spent years waiting for a sustained opportunity in the Blackcaps, Duffy made the most of an extended run across formats, combining accuracy and consistency with an ability to take wickets when his team needed them.
His arrival in Test cricket was a significant milestone.
Duffy made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in August 2025 and quickly made his mark, taking 25 wickets from his first four Tests at an average of 16.28, including three five-wicket hauls.
His standout contribution came during the home Test series against the West Indies, where he shouldered a significant workload and emerged as a key figure in the Blackcaps attack.
Duffy claimed 23 wickets across the three Tests and was named Player of the Series as New Zealand secured a 2-0 series victory. His contribution included nine wickets in the final Test at Bay Oval, taking four in the first innings and five in the second.
Those performances helped round out a record-breaking calendar year. Across the full 2025 calendar year, Duffy claimed 81 international wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, surpassing Sir Richard Hadlee’s New Zealand record of 79, which had stood since 1985.
While that calendar-year tally extends beyond the voting period for The Players’ Cap, it underlines the scale of Duffy’s emergence as an international bowler.
Duffy also made his first senior World Cup appearance at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, adding another milestone to a memorable period.
For Duffy, the most satisfying aspect has been contributing to the team’s success.
“To feel like I’ve been able to contribute has been awesome,” Duffy said.
“You always want to have an impact when you’re out there, and hopefully I’ve been able to help the team win some games along the way.”
His performances also earned recognition at the 2026 ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards, where he received the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as New Zealand’s outstanding men’s cricketer, was named Test Player of the Year and collected the Winsor Cup for men’s first-class bowling.
Now, The Players’ Cap recognises that progress through the eyes of his teammates and coaches. Their votes reflect the roles players fulfil, their influence on each match and the contribution they make to the overall team performance.
Duffy joins a distinguished list of recipients to receive The Players’ Cap.
ABOUT THE PLAYERS’ CAP
Players and coaches vote for the players they deem to have contributed the most to the team performance over the course of each match.
Recognising that players and coaches have a unique insight into the tactics, role and impact of each player’s performance, and how each contributed to the overall team effort, The Players’ Cap is an award that carries particular significance among the playing group.
Weighting of Votes
In order to compensate for the uneven number and length of Test, ODI and T20I matches, and to ensure players from all three formats of the game have a fair chance of winning the award, a weighting system applies to all votes.
Test match votes have a weighting factor of 6
ODI match votes have a weighting factor of 3
T20I match votes have a weighting factor of 2
To find out more about The Players’ Cap click here
THE PLAYERS’ CAP RECIPIENTS
2026: 15th – Jacob Duffy
2025: 14th – Rachin Ravindra
2024: 13th – Glenn Phillips
2023: 12th – Daryl Mitchell
2022: 11th – Devon Conway
2021: 10th – Kyle Jamieson
2020: 9th – Tim Southee
2019: 8th – Ross Taylor
2018: 7th – Trent Boult
2017: 6th – Kane Williamson
2016: 5th – Kane Williamson
2015: 4th – Kane Williamson
2014: 3rd – Ross Taylor
2013: 2nd – Tim Southee
2012: 1st – Brendon McCullum
