Ross Taylor is an experienced campaigner which certainly makes him not being included a controversial decision.
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New Zealand veteran batsman Ross Taylor and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme are two major players not selected in the 15-member squad for the upcoming edition of the ICC T20 World Cup. The prestigious tournament will be played in UAE from October 17. The squad was named by New Zealand Cricket on Monday and will be led by popular cricketer Kane Williamson. Taylor is an experienced campaigner having featured in 102 T20Is for the national team. His omission will certainly raise eyebrows along with the decision to sideline De Grandhomme who can be destructive on his day.
Tim Seifert will keep wickets and open the batting with Martin Guptill, while Devon Conway fills out the top order and is set to feature in his first white-ball World Cup. The bowling attack looks well-backed considering the presence of three spinners along with four frontline seamers. Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Todd Astle are the spinners included in the squad, with Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson being the fast-bowlers. The presence of all-rounders like Daryl Mitchell and James Neesham is an additional boost. The selection committee has further named pacer Adam Milne as an injury cover, with the player set to travel with the squad to UAE.
The 15-member squad set to represent New Zealand in the T20 World Cup, will take on India in a three-match T20I series before the tournament.
NZ T20 World Cup Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
Players in the 16-strong squad for the T20 World Cup including Milne were not considered for the five T20Is against Bangladesh starting September 2, or the three ODIs in Pakistan beginning September 17. However, Guptill, Chapman, Mitchell, Astle and Sodhi will join the team in Pakistan for the five T20Is starting September 25. Those cricketers involved in IPL 2021 like Williamson and Jamieson will be allowed to re-join their franchises in the lead up to the World Cup. Devon Conway and Tim Southee will link up with the squad directly from New Zealand in early October.
Tom Latham will captain the teams to Bangladesh and Pakistan. He will have the experience of Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell and Will Young to call on across the tours.
Squad for Bangladesh T20s & Pakistan ODIs: Tom Latham (c) (wk), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry (ODI only), Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears (T20 only), Blair Tickner, Will Young
Squad for Pakistan T20Is: Tom Latham (c) (wk), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Ajaz Patel, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
