International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed South Africa-born Devon Conway will be eligible to play for New Zealand, starting August 28.
The governing council gave the left-hand batsman an exceptional circumstance dispensation, allowing him to play tour matches before the deadline should he be selected for New Zealand's Test tour to Bangladesh, scheduled to kickstart less than two weeks before he becomes eligible to play for the Kiwis.
However, given the situation across the globe because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tour might not go ahead.
“There are mixed feelings at the moment," Conway was quoted as saying via a video conference from his home in Wellington on Tuesday (March 31).
"Obviously, really happy to hear the news about my eligibility but then again with regards to what’s happening throughout the world it just puts it in perspective."
Conway has been a prolific run-scorer across all formats since he first turned up for Wellington Firebirds in the 2017-18 season.
He topped the run-charts as the Firebirds won the domestic Twenty20 title in January this season, scoring 543 runs at an average of 67.87.
Even in the Plunket Shield, Conway finished at the top of the pile with 701 runs in Wellington’s charge to the trophy. His run tally including an unbeaten innings of 327 against Canterbury last October.
“I am pretty happy but I’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully get an opportunity to break into that Black Caps team which has world-class players, and it won’t be easy," added the 28-year-old.
(Inputs from Reuters)
