New Zealand got all their guns back in the playing XI including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, and Devon Conway, for the West Indies white-ball tour.
The tour of West Indies is comprised of three T20Is and as many ODIs but the selectors has announced only one combined squad keeping in mind a tight schedule of six matches in the 11 days, as confirmed by the New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Kane Williamson will return to the squad as a skipper of the team.
Combined ODIs and T20i squad: Kane Williamson (C), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee
This will be New Zealand’s first tour of the region since 2014. The T20I games are set to serve a preparation purpose for the upcoming T20 World Cup later this year whereas the ODIs will carry the points of Super League in the lead-up to the 50-over World Cup in India next year.
“It’s always exciting to be heading somewhere you’ve not been in a while and I know this group can’t wait for the challenge of taking on the West Indies in the Caribbean,”
head coach Gary Stead said.
“Managing workloads is hugely important this year with the team playing some form of cricket every month in 2022 – and this applies to both players and staff.
“For Kane, Trent, Tim, and Devon, this will be the first time they have played white ball cricket for New Zealand since last year’s T20 World Cup and tour to India – so this trip will be important for them.
“We also have players such as Michael and Finn who are relatively new to the international stage but have put their hands up for selection when given opportunities.
“As a selector, it’s been great to see these guys push their cases.”
New Zealand will be landing in Jamaica in two groups, with some players traveling from the Netherlands and the other from back home.
The squad will be led by Dean Brownlie as batting coach and Graeme Aldridge as bowling coach.
New Zealand is currently in Scotland where they are scheduled to play two T20Is on July 27 and 29 followed by a single ODI on July 31.
They will then move to the Netherlands where back-to-back T20Is are waiting on August 4 and 5 before the players being part of the West Indies tour departs for the Caribbean.
