Father: Mark Bracewell, Wife: Lauren Bracewell, Children: Lennox and Billie
Michael Bracewell is a dynamic left-handed batting allrounder who made a late but impactful entry into international cricket, debuting at the age of 31 in 2022. The 35-year-old from Masterton, part of the famous Bracewell cricket dynasty, had spent over a decade in domestic cricket before his breakthrough, amassing over 700 runs in multiple Plunket Shield seasons. His selection was propelled by a monstrous 141 off 65 balls in a Super Smash T20 match for Wellington, and he announced himself on the international stage with an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls from No. 7 against Ireland. Bracewell’s ability to hit straight, over cover, and behind the wicket with ease was showcased in a breathtaking 78-ball 140 against India in Hyderabad in 2023, nearly pulling off an improbable chase. Initially a wicketkeeper-batter, he adapted to an off-spin bowling allrounder role for New Zealand, even taking a T20I hat-trick against Ireland. Despite missing the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an Achilles injury, Bracewell has established himself as a valuable middle-order asset and a reliable spin option for the Black Caps.
| Batting & Fielding | ||||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
| Tests | 10 | 17 | 1 | 339 | 74* | 21.18 | 594 | 57.07 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| ODIs | 43 | 37 | 11 | 956 | 140 | 36.76 | 874 | 109.38 | 2 | 3 | 77 | 43 | 33 | 0 |
| T20Is | 47 | 31 | 9 | 434 | 61* | 19.72 | 324 | 133.95 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 17 | 25 | 0 |
| FC | 109 | 192 | 14 | 5679 | 190 | 31.90 | 10742 | 52.86 | 11 | 23 | 717 | 56 | 111 | 0 |
| List A | 154 | 141 | 16 | 4221 | 140 | 33.76 | 4632 | 91.12 | 4 | 29 | 396 | 105 | 87 | 0 |
| T20s | 214 | 179 | 41 | 3645 | 141* | 26.41 | 2660 | 137.03 | 1 | 19 | 289 | 159 | 118 | 1 |
| Bowling | ||||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w | |
| Tests | 10 | 20 | 1995 | 1198 | 25 | 4/75 | 5/150 | 47.92 | 3.60 | 79.8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| ODIs | 43 | 38 | 1680 | 1375 | 38 | 4/26 | 4/26 | 36.18 | 4.91 | 44.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| T20Is | 47 | 38 | 623 | 767 | 35 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 21.91 | 7.38 | 17.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FC | 109 | 61 | 5005 | 2835 | 68 | 8/41 | 8/91 | 41.69 | 3.39 | 73.6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| List A | 154 | 64 | 2657 | 2208 | 61 | 4/26 | 4/26 | 36.19 | 4.98 | 43.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| T20s | 214 | 114 | 1897 | 2624 | 101 | 4/28 | 4/28 | 25.98 | 8.29 | 18.7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
He is a left-handed batting allrounder who bowls right-arm off-break, capable of contributing significantly with both bat and ball in white-ball cricket.
He made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Netherlands in 2022 at the age of 31, more than ten years after his first-class debut.
In January 2022, he smashed 141 off 65 balls for Wellington in a Super Smash T20 match, chasing down 227 from 43 for 5 with a ball remaining.
He scored an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls from No. 7 against Ireland in Dublin, and a breathtaking 78-ball 140 against India in Hyderabad in 2023, nearly pulling off an improbable chase.
He was called up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as an injury replacement in 2023.
He made his Test debut on New Zealand's 2022 tour of England, and in Karachi against Pakistan, he made a second-innings 74 not out and took four wickets, though the series ended in a draw.
He was born on February 14, 1991, in Masterton, Wairarapa, making him 35 years old.
He adapted from being a wicketkeeper-batter early in his career to becoming an off-spin bowling allrounder, even taking a T20I hat-trick against Ireland in his second T20I.
He missed the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an Achilles injury.
