NEW DELHI: New Zealand Cricket announced on Sunday that captain Kane Williamson is poised to make his comeback to international Twenty20 cricket in the upcoming three-match home series against Bangladesh.
The 33-year-old star batsman has been absent from the T20 format for over a year, having missed the T20 series against England in September due to an extended recovery from a knee injury.
Williamson's return comes after his successful comeback during the recently drawn Test series in Bangladesh and playing a pivotal role in guiding New Zealand to the semi-finals of the 50-over World Cup in India last month.
Joining Williamson in the T20 series are key players Tim Southee, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, and Glenn Phillips, who were rested for the ongoing ODI matches against Bangladesh.
However, several players will be sidelined due to injuries, including Lockie Ferguson (Achilles), Matt Henry (hamstring), Henry Shipley (back), and all-rounder Michael Bracewell (Achilles).
Devon Conway, the explosive opener, is also taking a break from both the ODI and T20 series, with New Zealand Cricket citing a "heavy workload in 2023" as the reason.
Coach Gary Stead highlighted that the T20 series, commencing in Napier on December 27, marks the beginning of New Zealand's preparations for the World Cup scheduled for June 2024 in the West Indies and the United States.
As New Zealand gears up for home Tests against South Africa and Australia in early 2024, Williamson's return adds significant strength to the team, reinforcing their pursuit of success in the T20 format and laying the foundation for a successful campaign in the upcoming World Cup.
New Zealand T20 squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
For live updates on ongoing cricket action, check out our India vs South Africa 1st ODI live blog
(With inputs from AFP)
