The 10th T20 World Cup is set to begin next February. Before announcing their World Cup squad, New Zealand will play a five-match T20 series at home against the West Indies. The New Zealand Cricket Board (NZC) has announced the squad for the series, with Mitchell Santner retaining the captaincy.
Kyle Jamieson and Ish Sodhi have both returned to the team. Jamieson was part of the squad for the last T20 series against England but was ruled out due to injury. After missing just one series, the tall pacer has made his comeback.
Ish Sodhi’s wait for a return was also brief. He was left out of the three-match T20 series against Australia last month, but considering the subcontinent conditions ahead of the World Cup, the spinner has been brought back into the side.
Meanwhile, pace-bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith is waiting for his T20 debut. Having already made his Test and ODI debuts, he has shown promise early in his career. A strong performance against the West Indies could earn him a World Cup spot.
Due to injuries, Matt Henry, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Glenn Phillips, and Ben Sears have not been included in the squad.
The T20 series against the West Indies will begin on November 5, with the remaining matches scheduled for November 6, 9, 10, and 13.
New Zealand squad for the T20 series against the West Indies:
Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Zachary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, and Nathan Smith.