New Zealand will look for their maiden ODI World Cup title later this year in India. The Kiwis have been one of the consistent performers in the white ball ICC events reaching the finals of the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup followed by another final reach in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand is also the winner of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021, Since 2015, the team has performed very well against high-quality opponents in the ICC events to perform consistently to reach the knockouts of the ICC events. Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Tom Latham putting up their hand to perform for the team regularly.
New Zealand has received a major setback as their skipper Kane Williamson and star all-rounder Michael Bracewell have almost been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. However, the Blackcaps has got enough depth in their team to perform at the ODI World Cup in India. Here is the probable 15-Men Squad For the mega event
1. Openers- Will Young And Finn Allen
Will Young has continued to be a regular in the ODI line-up, as performed exceptionally well for the black caps in recent times. He has done a pretty decent job for the Kiwis in the limited opportunities. The Right-handed batter his way into the team, through his consistent performance in domestic cricket. In the 15 ODI games, so far he averages around 49.3 with two hundred and three half-centuries to his name.
Finn Allen has become one of the most promising opening batters, as he aggressively starts his innings by taking on world-class bowlers. Allen has been given a long rope from the management in white-ball cricket to succeed Martin Guptill, as he can dominate the bowlers on his given any day.
2. Middle Order- Tom Latham (C), Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman, And Glenn Philips
Tom Latham has been a key component in the New Zealand setup playing across formats. He will be leading the Blackcaps side in the ODI World Cup 2023 later this year due to the absence of Kane Williamson and can be a key figure for the team going into the mega event. His ability against spin has been the most visible aspect of his game and it can be crucial for the team in Indian conditions.
Henry Nicholls has impressed in the middle order playing for the Kiwis and can be a vital player for the team going into the mega event and Mark Chapman produced a remarkable performance against Pakistan to help his side make a comeback for a 2-0 series to draw the five matches T20 series 2-2 with an emphatic century in the final T20 against Pakistan can be another option in the team for the Kiwis.
Glenn Philips has performed very well in whatever role the Black Caps have asked him to perform in the white-ball format of the game. The hard-hitting batter is the clean striker of both pace and spin bowling and he can chip in with a few overs in the middle overs for the team.
3. Wicket-keepers – Devon Conway
Devon Conway has been one of the most consistent batters in all formats since his international debut in November 2020. The Southpaw has proved to be an excellent player for Kiwis, given he can also keep wickets if required. The opener made his presence felt during the ODI series against both Pakistan and India, as he got a game to play against the spinner in subcontinental conditions.
The Black Caps opener has good experience playing in Indian conditions in recent times, as he played a key role in Chennai Super Kings’ record-equaling fifth IPL title. Conway played a vital role in the Chennai Super Kings title-winning campaign in IPL 2023, scoring six half-centuries for his team and 672 runs in 16 games for his side, being the third-leading run-getter in the competition.
4. All-Rounders – Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, And James Neesham
Daryl Mitchell is an experienced all-rounder, who has played for the team in all three formats providing valuable contributions to the team’s success in all three formats of the game. Mitchell can provide solidity to Kiwi’s middle order alongside bowling some overs in the middle overs of the game.
Rachin Ravindra is an exciting talent from the country and is the key contributor for the Black Caps in the white ball format in given chances and would look to take up the role of the spinning all-rounder in the team, as can be handy with both bat and ball in the Indian conditions.
Mitchell Santner can be an extremely valuable addition to the side for the ODI World Cup in India. The left-arm spinner is known for bowling tight lines and creating pressure on the opposition batters. The 31-year-old is one of the best finger-spinners in the world and can contribute with the bat in the lower order. James Neesham has contributed to the team’s success in recent ICC events and he will once look to use his experience in the Indian conditions.
5. Spinner – Ish Sodhi
Ish Sodhi will be one of the main bowlers for the Black Caps at the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 in India. The leggie has the perfect speed to bowl wrist spin at which the batsmen find it hard to come down the track and the conditions in India will suit him, as he can bowl in tandem along Mitchell Santer in the middle overs to pick crucial wickets.
The 30-year-old is a genuine wicket-taking option for New Zealand He is tall and gets steep bounce which makes it even more difficult for the batsmen to judge the lines and lengths of his deliveries and the spinner will be a crucial player for the Kiwis Chance in the ODI World Cup.
6. Fast Bowlers – Trent Boult, Tim Southee, And Lockie Ferguson
Trent Boult was an important member of New Zealand’s squad in the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup as he bowled brilliantly well for the Blackcaps with the new ball. His performance with the ball helped the Kiwis make back-to-back appearances in the grand final. He is the highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in World Cup with 39 wickets in 19 games so far.
Tim Southee And Lockie Ferguson will be the second and third pacers on the team, as they can contribute to the team’s success if the surface offers some assistance to the bowlers. Southee can be a vital player for Blackcaps with the new ball, whereas Ferguson can be lethal in middle overs and death overs.