Veteran batsman, Ross Taylor, has not been named in the 15-member New Zealand squad led by Kane Williamson for the T20 World Cup, to be played in UAE and Oman from October 17. All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has also been left out from the squad named by New Zealand Cricket on Monday (August 9).
Taylor, has not played for New Zealand in T20Is since November 2020 and his exclusion from the squad signals an end to his career in the shortest format.
Three spinners Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Todd Astle have been picked. The squad also includes four seamers Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson as well as all-round options in Daryl Mitchell and James Neesham.
Adam Milne has also been named, and will travel to UAE as an injury cover. The same 15-member squad will play in India in the three-match T20I series after the tournament.
New Zealand chief executive David White confirmed that those players involved in the prematurely suspended IPL 2021 would be allowed to re-join their franchises, and complete the competition when it re-starts on September 19 in UAE.
“It’s a pragmatic approach,” said Mr White. “We’ve always tried to be realistic about the IPL and this particular issue is very much a one-off, caused by a unique set of circumstances.”
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, New Zealand will play a T20I series against Bangladesh, for which they will depart on August 23. The squad for Bangladesh tour, where they will play five T20Is, will be captained by Tom Latham.
None of the members named in the squad for the India tour and the T20 World Cup will be a part of the Bangladesh tour.
The same squad, apart from Ben Sears, will also play in the three ODIs against Pakistan to follow. Five players named in the T20 World Cup squad will be part of the T20I series in Pakistan.
New Zealand T20 World Cup squad and India T20Is: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
Coaching Staff: Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen, Luke Ronchi, (fourth coach TBA)
New Zealand squad for Bangladesh T20s & Pakistan ODIs: Tom Latham (c) (wk), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry (ODI only), Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears (T20 only), Blair Tickner, Will Young
Coaching Staff: Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Tilan Samaraweera
New Zealand squad for Pakistan T20Is: Tom Latham (c) (wk), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
Coaching Staff: Shane Jurgensen, Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Tilan Samaraweera.
(With Cricbuzz inputs)
