New Zealand Cricket names squads for Pakistan series
New Zealand selectors have named their squads for the upcoming series against Pakistan, which starts on Boxing Day with the first T20 match taking place at Eden Park in Auckland.
The announcement was made as the Black Caps aim to redeem themselves after a succession of poor results in all formats of the game. They have lost 11 consecutive ODIs, including four against Bangladesh.
Former NZ coach Mark Greatbatch, who was relieved of his coaching duties and appointed chairman of the independent selection panel, said that the selectors had retained most of the original players on the squad.
"We have kept faith with the majority of the squad who performed well in the Test matches against India and want to build on the positive steps the team took in that series," Greatbatch said.
New Zealand’s T20 squad will be led by middle-order batsman Ross Taylor, who will be replacing the injured Daniel Vettori. (Vettori will, however, be leading the Test side.) While largely consisting of experienced
players, as Greatbatch said, the squad does also feature some upcoming youngsters who have made an impression at the domestic level.
"One new face is wicketkeeper Reece Young who gets a chance after performing well over a number of seasons at domestic and the New Zealand A-level,” said Greatbatch. “It's disappointing for Gareth Hopkins who
misses out on selection."
But there are also other new faces on New Zealand’s T20 side: Dean Brownlie, Luke Woodcock and 18-year-old Adam Milne.
"Dean Brownlie and Luke Woodcock have both enjoyed very good domestic form over the last couple of seasons and richly deserve their opportunity," Greatbatch said. "Adam Milne is a promising young bowler and we
are keen to give him some early exposure in international cricket. He is a young up-and-comer with the potential to have a big impact in international cricket for many years.”
A three-match T20 series will precede a two-match Test series, after which New Zealand and Pakistan will then compete in a series of six ODI matches that will run till the first week of February. Both teams have
had a tumultuous year and this tour will provide them an ideal opportunity to hone their skills right before the World Cup, which is set to start in the Indian subcontinent in the third week of February.
The New Zealand and Pakistani teams are also drawn in the same group in the league stage of the World Cup, and will be playing their matches in Sri Lanka, where conditions are different to New Zealand but can
change dramatically and somewhat become similar when there is moisture in the air.
New Zealand’s squads for the T20 and Test series against Pakistan are as follows:
Test squad: Daniel Vettori (capt), Brent Arnel, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Andy McKay, Tim McIntosh, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson,
Reece Young (wk)
T20 squad: Ross Taylor (capt), Dean Brownlie, Ian Butler, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan (wk), Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jesse Ryder, Tim
Southee, Scott Styris, Luke Woodcock
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