Jacob Duffy

Jacob Duffy is a right-arm medium-pace bowler, hailing from Lumsden in Southland. Making his first-class debut at the tender age of 17, Duffy joined an elite group of cricketers who started their professional careers early. Drafted into the Otago squad by coach Vaughn Johnston, the Southland Boys' High School alumnus wasted no time in proving his potential. Duffy made waves during the 2012/13 season, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the HRV Cup with 15 wickets.

The journey to national selection wasn’t a straightforward one for Duffy, as he faced the challenges that many domestic players do, needing to consistently perform at the highest levels to be noticed. His breakthrough came in the 2019-20 Ford Trophy, where his remarkable 21 wickets from 9 innings not only made him Otago’s top bowler but also signalled his readiness for international cricket. The following years saw Duffy continue to develop his skills, particularly in the red-ball format, with standout performances in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 Plunket Shield seasons. His consistent excellence was hard to overlook, leading to his eventual call-up to the national team.

Although Duffy made his international debut in the T20I and ODI formats, his rise to prominence was not without its setbacks. Despite showing promise, he was not initially included in the squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, fate intervened when an injury to Ben Sears opened the door for Duffy to join the Kiwi squad for the global event as a replacement.

Duffy did not get a game in that tournament, but his year only got better as it went on. A stellar T20I series in Pakistan saw him climb to the top of the ICC T20I bowling rankings, the first time he had reached the No.1 spot in any format in his career. He also plied his trade in the County Championship, where he impressed while representing Worcestershire. He carried that red-ball form into the home series against West Indies and finished with 23 wickets in the series.

It capped off a breakout year for Duffy, who ended 2025 with 81 wickets across formats in international cricket. Those performances did not go unnoticed as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured his services for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League at his base price of INR 2 crore. At the 2026 T20 World Cup, he went in with a lot of expectations on his shoulders but could not quite make the impact that was expected of him in New Zealand's runners-up finish at the event.