Jacobs' checklist: debut for NZ, 2026 T20 World Cup, return to the IPL

A lot has happened in Bevon Jacobs' life since he earned his maiden New Zealand call-up for the home T20I series against Sri Lanka in December last year. A maiden Plunket Shield century, debut in the UAE's ILT20 league, working with Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah in the IPL, and most recently a CPL deal.

During this period, especially at IPL 2025, where Jacobs didn't get a game at Mumbai Indians (MI), he often had to make do as the outsider looking in. As he prepares to make his international debut for New Zealand in the upcoming tri-series in Zimbabwe next month, also involving South Africa, Jacobs hopes to harness his IPL experience and put his name up for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"The IPL was an amazing experience, and I got three months there to learn new facets of my game," Jacobs said. "And I definitely think I've made those learnings and improvements. Obviously, implementing into my game is going to be a longer work in progress.

"But taking away from the technical stuff, there's also a lot of mental learnings that I've got from it as well, which I know will change me just for the time being. So, hopefully, I can bring what I've learnt from there into the series.

"I mean, that (playing the T20 World Cup) is a massive goal for me. It would be a dream come true to go to that. And I guess for me, it's just about controlling what I can control. And if that opportunity comes again, that would be pretty special to me."

The first step towards that goal will be a potential debut against his country of birth, South Africa. Jacobs was born in Pretoria before his family emigrated to New Zealand when he was around three years old. He emerged through the Auckland pathway system before he shifted to Canterbury, where he made his senior T20 and List A debuts. Ahead of the 2024-25 domestic season, Jacobs, however, returned to Auckland.

"I still like to see myself as a Kiwi," Jacobs said. "I've been here for a very long time. But, yeah, I guess that part of it would be pretty cool if that was to be my debut against South Africa.

"I'm sure a lot of family who are over in South Africa and just my family that are here would find that pretty cool."

At over six feet tall, Jacobs has the levers and power to clear any boundary, traits which earned him a surprise IPL call-up. Jacobs' height and reach enable him to mess with the length of bowlers and provide his team with a potent point of difference. For instance, on ILT20 debut in January in Dubai, when Blessing Muzarabani dug in a hard-length delivery from his six-feet-eight-inch frame, Jacobs stood tall, got on top of the ball, and pumped it over extra-cover for four.

While Jacobs had slotted in at No. 4 in his most recent innings for Auckland in the Plunket Shield, New Zealand perhaps see him as a finisher in T20 cricket, as do franchises around the world.

"I guess my experience in my career is short, but I've had almost two different roles, obviously, starting off in that finisher role," Jacobs said. "I guess that's where Mumbai picked up a point of difference for me, which I find really cool. And then, obviously, when I came to Auckland, a little bit more moving up into the middle order.

"Either way, I think for me, maybe that skill set, what's seen at the moment, is trying to finish off in innings. And I guess I'm just going to try and get better at that step by step, and hopefully that's what gets me into the side."

Jacobs believes that a strong international season could boost his stocks in leagues around the world. He has played just 20 T20s so far but teams see potential and a high ceiling.

"Yeah, 100% [hoping to return to the IPL]," he said. "I mean, obviously, with Mumbai and just with the Sri Lankan experience, both were really cool for me. I think there's a lot to learn.

"There's players with a crazy amount of knowledge there. For me to be able to pick their brains and to bring what they've learnt in their careers into my game is really cool for me. So, I think I took both opportunities when I could. Hopefully, if this means a game time this time around, that would be awesome."

Despite the absence of Kane Williamson (currently with Middlesex), Lockie Ferguson (load management), Ben Sears (side injury), Devon Conway (dropped), Kyle Jamieson (personal break), New Zealand have depth in their side and Jacobs' rise is an example of it.

"Yeah, the squad looks really strong. I'm just grateful to be part of it," Jacobs said. "They've got some really experienced names in there. So, for me to just be there is going to be pretty special.

"I've spent a little bit of time with him (Rob Walter, the new coach). And just from the conversations we've had, it all sounds pretty positive."