New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has returned to the T20I squad for the upcoming home bilateral series against India. The selectors have chosen one uncapped T20I player for this series.
New Zealand’s next assignment is to face the Indian national cricket team at home. The Indian team will soon travel to New Zealand for the five-match T20I series, three-match ODI series and two-match Test series. The five-match T20I series will run from 24th January to 2nd February 2020.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced the 14-member T20I squad for the upcoming home T20I series. However, Colin de Grandhomme will be available only for the first three matches of this series while Tom Bruce will replace him for the last two T20Is of this bilateral series.
Hamish Bennett is the uncapped player in New Zealand T20I squad
The 32-year-old right-arm medium pacer Hamish Bennett is the only uncapped T20I player in this squad. However, he has played one Test and 14 ODIs between 2010 and 2017. While he has failed to pick up a wicket in the only Test match, he has taken 27 wickets in ODI career. In the ongoing domestic T20 tournament (Super Smash 2019/20), he is the joint third most wicket-taker while serving for Wellington.
While Kane Williamson has already returned from the injury, he is now set to lead the Kiwi team in T20Is. Williamson last played a T20I on 10th February 2019 against India at Hamilton. Meanwhile, Williamson last played a T20 match in the Eliminator of IPL 2019 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Delhi Capitals. He missed out the last home T20I series against England due to injury.
New Zealand squad for the home T20I series against India: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (Captain), Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce (for 4th & 5th matches), Colin de Grandhomme (for 1st to 3rd matches), Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, Hamish Bennett.
Full T20I fixtures between New Zealand and India
(Five-match T20I series)
24th January 2020 (D/N): 1st T20I – Eden Park No. 1 (Auckland)
26th January 2020 (D/N): 2nd T20I – Eden Park No. 1 (Auckland)
29th January 2020 (D/N): 3rd T20I – Seddon Park (Hamilton)
31st January 2020 (D/N): 4th T20I – Westpac Stadium (Wellington)
2nd February 2020 (D/N): 5th T20I – Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui)