Rob Walter was on Friday appointed as the new head coach of the New Zealand men’s national team. The 49-year-old Walter replaced Gary Stead, who recently resigned from his position after a seven-year stint with the national team.Taking over from mid-June, Walter’s first assignment will be a tour to Zimbabwe in July, with his contract running until the end of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia in 2028.

Notably, Walter has previously served as the head coach of the South African men’s cricket team. He stepped down after the Proteas’ ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.During his tenure, South Africa made history by reaching their first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in 2024, where they finished as runners-up to India in Barbados, following an impressive eight-match winning streak. He also guided the 50-over team to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

“The Black Caps have been a successful and highly-regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it’s a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that,” Walter said upon his announcement.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested.

I just can’t wait to get started. It’s exciting, it’s challenging, and the opportunity is enormous for everyone,” he added.

Meanwhile, NZC chief executive Scott Weenink said it was the right time and place for Walter to take over the role.

“Rob is a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree. His success in New Zealand’s domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Blackcaps,” said Weenink.

“We’re excited to welcome Rob back home to guide our team through an exciting and challenging period, including three major ICC events,” he added.