Kane Williamson will captain New Zealand as they get their preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup underway with a three-match series against Bangladesh in the final few days of the year.
The totemic batsman missed New Zealand’s last T20 series against England earlier this year because of a knee injury but returns with all-rounder Jimmy Neesham and seamer Ben Sears, who is set to play his first international on home soil.
Devon Conway is being rested and his fellow batter Michael Bracewell as well as seamers Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and Henry Shipley were all ruled out by injury. Strike bowler Trent Boult did not make himself available for selection. “With a World Cup in the middle of next year we’re well into our planning in terms of both the tournament and the type of squad we might need in the conditions,” coach Gary Stead said in a news release.
“While we’re advanced in our planning … there is certainly still time for players to come into that mix.”
New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson will be rested from the current ODI series against Bangladesh after experiencing a stiff hamstring on his return home from the test tour, New Zealand Cricket said on Monday.
The towering quick bowled only four overs in the second test win against Bangladesh in Mirpur this month and missed Sunday’s 44-run victory in the opening ODI in Dunedin. He will miss the final matches of the series in Nelson on Wednesday and Napier on Saturday but should be available for the T20 series starting on Dec. 27 in Napier.
Wellington Firebird fast bowler Ben Sears will remain with the squad after being called up as injury cover for Jamieson. The 25-year-old Sears, whose last taste of international cricket was a T20 match away to the Netherlands more than a year ago, will hope to make his ODI debut.—INP
