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Outgoing New Zealand Cricket CEO David White revealed 'positive conversations' with star left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who chose not to renew his national contract in 2022, instead, choosing to participate in T20 leagues around the world. White said that he expects Trent Boult to be in the Kiwi squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup, to be hosted by India in October-November.
Boult chose not to sign the contract with the Black Caps in August 2022 so that he could spend more time with his family and continue playing franchise cricket. He has not played for the Kiwis since the T20 World Cup in October-November, as the team has prioritised contracted players.
"We have made it very clear that priority is given to centrally-contracted players," White told New Zealand radio station Newstalk ZB this week. "That was the case during the summer. It is very important for the integrity of the competition and of the contracting model that we give priority to our centrally-contracted players.
"In saying that, we've had a lot of conversations with Trent over the last few weeks and months. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't representing New Zealand in the World Cup, and we're having very positive conversations with him."
Earlier this month, Boult expressed his desire to play the World Cup in India during the month of October-November. "I remember after the 2019 final, I said to Kane (Williamson) that we've got to be there again, come 2023 in India. One hundred per cent, I've got that desire to be out there," he had told ESPNCricinfo.
Despite Boult seemingly choosing franchise cricket over international cricket, White believes that a significant number of cricketers still prefer playing for their country over participating in T20 leagues.
"I think that the players still say that Test cricket and representing their country is still the pinnacle. For the majority of the players, that is certainly the case. It would be fair to say that a lot of the players that are going into leagues are former (internationals), or (are) towards the end of their career. So I am not so concerned about that.
"The really positive thing about cricket compared to a lot of other sports is that it's being bankrolled primarily by India, which is now the most populated country in the world. There are huge resources and a lot of revenue, which is good for cricket. So it's just important that New Zealand Cricket ensures that we stay relevant. That way we influence the international game at the ICC level, and we can compete at the highest level," White added.
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