New Zealand Announces T20 World Cup 2024 Squad
The Kiwis have announced their 15-player squad for the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup. The Black Caps have chosen an experienced team that includes Williamson, and the fast bowling duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
This will be Williamson’s sixth appearance at a T20 World Cup and his fourth as captain. Southee is set for his seventh appearance at the tournament, and Boult his fifth, as the Kiwis aim for their first title in the shortest international format of the game.
There were no major surprises in New Zealand’s squad. Key pacer Kyle Jamieson (back) and all-rounder Adam Milne (ankle) have been ruled out due to injuries. Despite recent good form, Will O’Rourke, Tom Latham, Tim Seifert, and Will Young were not selected.
Glenn Phillips is one of the key players for New Zealand at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Experienced top-order batter Colin Munro was not given a surprise recall. Instead, selectors chose to include young talents Rachin Ravindra and fast bowler Matt Henry, both of whom have not previously appeared at a T20 World Cup.
The Kiwis will also take young pacer Ben Sears to the USA and West Indies as a travelling reserve if required.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead believes he has selected a well-balanced squad and is confident of a strong showing in the month-long tournament.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone named today. It’s a special time representing your country at a world tournament,” Stead said.
“We expect the venues in the West Indies to offer quite varied conditions and feel we’ve selected a squad with the scope to adapt to those conditions.”
Stead is particularly excited to see how Henry and Ravindra perform on the big stage, in what will be their first appearance at a T20 World Cup.
“Matt has worked exceptionally hard on his skills across the phases of a T20 game to come back into selection consideration,” Stead added.
“Rachin has made every post a winner in the past 12 months and it was exciting to see him continue that trajectory over the summer in the T20 format against Australia.”
New Zealand’s first match at the T20 World Cup is against Afghanistan in Guyana on June 7, with further Group C contests to follow with co-hosts West Indies, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea.
New Zealand Squad:
Kane Williamson (C), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee. Travelling Reserve: Ben Sears
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