T20 World Cup: NZ squad announced; Ravindra, Henry first-timers in Williamson-led team

Auckland: Kane Williamson will lead New Zealand in the T20 World Cup for the fourth time while opener Devon Conway, recovering from a thumb injury, has also been named in the 15-man provisional squad for the ICC event in USA and Caribbean in June.

The squad led by Williamson was named on Monday at the ANZ Centre here.

Conway was ruled out of the ongoing IPL due to a thumb injury he suffered in February.

Bowler Matt Henry and batting all-rounder Rachin Ravindra are the only two members of the 15 without T20 World Cup experience.

This will be Williamson’s sixth appearance in a T20 World Cup squad. His experience is bettered only by Tim Southee, who has earned selection in his seventh T20 World Cup squad and currently sits as the leading wicket-taker in the history of T20 Internationals.

Seasoned Trent Boult, who opted out of a NZC central contract, has been selected in his fifth T20 World Cup squad.

The squad also boasts significant recent experience in the conditions with 13 of the 15-man group featuring in the team’s last tour to the West Indies in 2022.

As well as that, six of the squad members have also featured in the Caribbean Premier League T20 competition.
Alongside the 15 players selected in the tournament squad, pace bowler Ben Sears will travel and train with the team as an injury cover.

Adam Milne was ruled out following surgery to repair an ankle injury, and Kyle Jamieson was also unavailable for selection as he continues to rehabilitate his back injury.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone named today. It’s a special time representing your country at a world tournament,” said Blackcaps head coach Gary Stead.

“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 said he was delighted to name two first timers in Henry and Ravindra.

“Matt has worked exceptionally hard on his skills across the phases of a T20 game to come back into selection consideration,” he said.

“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.”

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.
Ben Sears (Travelling Reserve).