New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Wednesday that opener Finn Allen will miss the Twenty20 tri-series in Zimbabwe later this month due to a foot injury.

The 26-year-old sustained the injury while playing for San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket.

"Allen's recovery timeline will be determined once he has returned to New Zealand and received further specialist consultations," NZC said in a statement, adding that a replacement would be named in due course.

New Zealand's squad will be led by Mitchell Santner and includes hard-hitting batter Bevon Jacobs, who is in line to make his international debut in their July 16 opener against South Africa.

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi has high expectations for the South Africa-born 23-year-old.

"This guy's an absolute monster," Sodhi said ahead of the team's departure to Harare.

"He's one of those guys who bat at six and hit six from ball one. It's an asset I don't think we've had a lot of in New Zealand cricket.

"It's great to have that kind of skill."

Zimbabwe face South Africa in the tri-series opener on July 14.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi REUTERS