James Douglas Sheahan Neesham commonly known as Jimmy Neesham is a New Zealand international cricketer who plays for the national team and participates in various T20 leagues worldwide as an all-rounder. Neesham was a vital member of the New Zealand squad that finished as runners-up in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Neesham began his first-class cricket career with Auckland but later moved to Otago ahead of the 2011–12 season. This move proved beneficial as he made significant contributions in the 50-over format, scoring three 40-plus scores in seven innings, all at a strike rate of more than a run a ball. Neesham also proved effective with the ball, taking a career-best 5 for 44 against Wellington and 4 for 23 against Canterbury. These performances earned him a spot in New Zealand's limited-overs squads for the tour to South Africa.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Neesham played for the Delhi Daredevils in 2014. He played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) that same year. In 2016, he joined English county cricket, playing for Derbyshire. The following year, he signed with Kent County Cricket Club for the 2017 NatWest T20 Blast, debuting in Kent's opening match in July.

In June 2018, Neesham was awarded a contract with Wellington for the 2018–19 season. In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Edmonton Royals in the Global T20 Canada tournament.

Neesham's IPL journey continued when Kings XI Punjab bought him in the 2020 IPL auction. In 2021, he was acquired by Mumbai Indians, and in February 2022, he was purchased by the Rajasthan Royals for the 2022 IPL season.

Neesham made his Test debut for New Zealand against India, scoring an unbeaten 137, the highest score on debut by a Test number 8 batsman. In June 2014, he made a century in his second Test against the West Indies, becoming the first New Zealander to score centuries in his first two Test matches.

In 2017, Neesham was named in New Zealand's 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. On 3 January 2019, in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, Neesham scored 34 runs in one over, including five sixes, setting a record for the most runs scored in one over by a New Zealand batsman in an ODI match.

In April 2019, Neesham was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He played his 50th ODI on 1 June 2019, during New Zealand's first match of the World Cup. In the game against Afghanistan, Neesham took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs, marking his 50th wicket in the format. In the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final, Neesham made a crucial catch by dismissing Dinesh Karthik from Matt Henry's bowling, securing New Zealand's place in the final. Before the World Cup, Neesham revealed that he had considered retiring from international cricket 18 months earlier due to poor form and injury problems. However, Heath Mills, the CEO of the New Zealand Players Association at the time, advised him to take a break from cricket instead of retiring.

In August 2021, Neesham was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, continuing his role as a critical player for the national team.

Significant contributions to domestic and international cricket have marked James Neesham's cricketing journey. Starting his career with Auckland, his move to Otago proved to be a turning point, leading to his selection for national duty. His performances in various T20 leagues, including the IPL, CPL, and Global T20 Canada, highlight his versatility and skill as an all-rounder.

Neesham's international career has seen notable achievements, including record-setting performances and crucial contributions in major tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy and the Cricket World Cup.