Cricket

NZ vs BAN 2023: Kane Williamson returns as Blackcaps announce T20I squad for Bangladesh series

December 18, 2023

In a much-anticipated move, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced the return of skipper Kane Williamson to the T20 International (T20I) arena as the Blackcaps unveil their squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Williamson’s comeback is set to inject experience and leadership into the side, adding to the excitement surrounding the clash between the two cricketing nations.

Kane Williamson back into the T20I team after more than a year

The top-order batter last represented New Zealand in T20Is during the home series against India in November 2022.

Williamson, a cornerstone of New Zealand’s success across formats, was sidelined due to injury concerns. He suffered a knee injury in the IPL 2023 and returned to international cricket only during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

His return to New Zealand’s T20I squad marks a significant moment for both the team and fans alike, as the Blackcaps gear up for a challenging series against Bangladesh.

The T20I series is scheduled to kick off on December 27, with matches to be held in three cities across New Zealand. The squad announcement not only brings the return of Williamson but also includes a mix of seasoned players like Tim Southee, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner, and promising talents such Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Ben Sears and Tim Seifert underlining New Zealand’s commitment to maintaining a balanced and competitive team.

“It’s great to be able to finish off a busy year that started on the road by having the group together in New Zealand,” NZ head coach Gary Stead said in his official statement.

“We’ve played T20 cricket in a wide variety of conditions this year and it’s been great to see a broad range of players making contributions.

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Stead added: “Tim Seifert, as an example, returned to the side in a specific role at the top of the order and made significant contributions in each series he was part of. 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.

“While we’re advanced in our planning, as we saw with the one-day World Cup squad this year with the likes of Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra – there is certainly still time for players to come into that mix.”

New Zealand’s squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee