Kent Spitfires have started the 2026 Vitality Blast in electric form, two games played, two wins, including a statement 208/6 against Middlesex at Lord’s on opening night.
The Spitfires have won the Vitality Blast twice since 2003, lifting the title in 2007 and 2021, and this season’s squad has the firepower to go deep again.
Here is the full Kent squad for T20 Blast 2026, broken down by role, with a look at their South Group schedule and the players to watch.
Kent T20 Blast 2026 Squad at a Glance
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Sam Billings (C) | Wicket-Keeper Batter |
| Daniel Bell-Drummond | Batter |
| Zak Crawley | Batter |
| Joey Evison | Batter |
| Tawanda Muyeye | Batter |
| Joe Denly | Batting All-Rounder |
| Dian Forrester | Batting All-Rounder |
| Thomas Stewart Rogers | Bowling All-Rounder |
| Chris Benjamin | Wicket-Keeper Batter |
| Harry Finch | Wicket-Keeper Batter |
| Bertie Foreman | Bowler |
| Fred Klaassen | Bowler |
| Jake Lintott | Bowler |
| Matt Milnes | Bowler |
| Matthew Parkinson | Bowler |
Kent T20 Blast 2026 Full Squad & Players
Kent’s T20 Blast 2026 squad features a balanced mix of experienced and young players. The team will aim for strong performances and a competitive run in the tournament.
Batters
Daniel Bell-Drummond is Kent’s most experienced top-order batter and a consistent presence in T20 cricket for the county. He doubles as a handy outfielder, as seen in the Sussex match where he took a catch at extra cover to remove Daniel Hughes.
Zak Crawley has already made his mark in 2026. His unbeaten 75 against Sussex on 25 May helped Kent to a seven-wicket win in a high-scoring, controversial game at Canterbury. He hit three sixes in the 18th over to kill off the chase, the kind of innings that proves his white-ball ability is as sharp as his Test form.
Joey Evison is the youngest batter in Kent’s setup and brings a clean hitting style suited to middle-order acceleration.
Tawanda Muyeye has been in and out of the Kent lineup but brings real power to the lower-middle order. His fielding has also been sharp, taking the catch on the midwicket boundary to dismiss Tom Clark and later catching Jack Leaning in the same Sussex fixture.
All-Rounders
Joe Denly is the squad’s senior statesman. A former England international, Denly’s leg-spin is a genuine weapon in T20 conditions, and his batting experience gives Kent flexibility in the middle order.
Dian Forrester is the standout new name in Kent’s 2026 Blast squad. The South African all-rounder took 3 for 25 on his Kent debut against Sussex, including a double-wicket maiden, and then hit the winning runs with 10 balls to spare. As debuts go, that is about as complete as it gets.
Thomas Stewart Rogers was Kent’s leading wicket-taker in the opening match. The Australian picked up 4 for 39 in his four overs against Middlesex, wrecking their middle order and setting the platform for a 27-run win.
Wicket-Keepers
Sam Billings (Captain) is the heartbeat of this Kent T20 side. An experienced T20 captain who has played across franchise tournaments globally, Billings was in excellent form with the bat in the Middlesex opener. His keeping and tactical nous behind the stumps make him one of the best captains in county T20 cricket.
Chris Benjamin provides backup keeping cover and is a capable lower-order hitter.
Harry Finch adds depth to the wicket-keeping options and can bat in the middle order if required.
Bowlers
Bertie Foreman made his debut against Sussex and immediately chipped in. He struck when Clark pulled him to Muyeye on the midwicket boundary, showing the confidence to bowl aggressively at a batsman who had reached his fifty off just 20 deliveries.
Fred Klaassen is Kent’s primary seam threat with the new ball. A left-arm quick who can swing the ball and hit the top of the crease, Klaassen is a strong powerplay option.
Jake Lintott is one of the most dangerous left-arm wrist-spinners in the Vitality Blast. His ability to pick up wickets in the middle overs makes him essential, particularly on the St Lawrence Ground surface. He led Kent’s bowling attack alongside Tom Rogers in the Middlesex victory.
Matt Milnes is a right-arm seam bowling option who provides reliability in the middle overs and at the death.
Matthew Parkinson is Kent’s most high-profile spinner. The leg-spinner has represented England in white-ball cricket and brings genuine quality to a Blast attack that already has variation with Lintott.
Kent Spitfires South Group Fixtures 2026
Kent are placed in the South Group alongside Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Middlesex, Surrey, and Sussex Sharks. They also have two crossover matches: Notts Outlaws visit Canterbury on 26 June, and Kent travel to Worcestershire on 3 July.
Key fixtures:
- 22 May — Kent vs Middlesex at Lord’s — Won by 27 runs
- 25 May — Kent vs Sussex at Canterbury — Won by 7 wickets
- 29 May — Kent vs Essex at Canterbury (Battle of the Bridge, Friday night under lights)
- 10 July — Kent vs Surrey at Canterbury (Friday night, Finale Weekend opener)
- 12 July — Kent vs Middlesex at Canterbury (final home group game)
The Oldest Rivalry against Surrey at the St Lawrence Ground on Friday 10 July kicks off Vitality Blast Finale Weekend. Given Surrey’s strength in the South Group, that match could go a long way in deciding who qualifies. Men’s Finals Day is at Edgbaston, Birmingham on 18 July 2026.
Can Kent Spitfires Go All the Way in 2026?
Two wins from two games is a strong start, but the South Group is the hardest of the three. Surrey, Hampshire, and Sussex are all capable of qualifying.
What makes Kent’s squad genuinely competitive this year is the balance: experienced batting with Billings, Crawley, and Bell-Drummond; two quality leg-spinners in Parkinson and Lintott to exploit English summer surfaces; and the emergence of Dian Forrester as a match-winning all-round option from ball one.
Kent have won the Vitality Blast twice and know what it takes to go deep in knockout cricket. If Crawley maintains his current form and Parkinson and Lintott take wickets in tandem through the middle overs, a quarter-final place is well within reach.
