The New Zealand cricket board took to X on Thursday (June 26) to announce the 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe. The Kiwis will face hosts Zimbabwe and South Africa in the tri-series starting July 14 in Harare. Spin bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner will lead the Black Caps, and the squad also features the likes of his Mumbai Indians teammate Bevon Jacobs, MI New York all-rounder Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, and Finn Allen, among others.
Legendary batter and former captain Kane Williamson, however, continues to remain absent from the squad, whereas Chennai Super Kings opener Devon Conway was ignored by the selectors.
Williamson last played a T20I match for New Zealand in Tarouba on June 17, 2024, against Papua New Guinea.
According to a release shared by Black Caps, “Kane Williamson wasn’t included after making himself unavailable for selection.”
Fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, and Kyle Jamieson will also miss the tri-series due to various reasons, but Adam Milne is back in the T20I team.
“Pace bowlers unavailable for selection for this tour were Ben Sears (side injury), Lockie Ferguson (load management), and Kyle Jamieson—who is awaiting the birth of his first child,” the release stated.
Milne will bolster the pace bowling stocks alongside the world No. 1 T20I bowler Jacob Duffy and the Canterbury trio of Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke, and Zak Foulkes.
Tim Seifert will keep the gloves for New Zealand, and opener Finn Allen will be his backup.
Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell are two specialist batters in New Zealand’s squad, and they will have the support of all-rounders Rachin, Glenn Phillips, and Bracewell.
Ish Sodhi, who is New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, will join Santner as the other specialist spinner.
