New Zealand announce power-packed 15-member T20 World Cup squad; Kane Williamson to lead the Blackcaps

Atishay Jain

UPDATED:Apr 29, 2024 09:02 IST

New Zealand cricket team players in a huddle. (PC: Getty).

Highlights:

New Zealand have never won the T20 World Cup and the Blackcaps would look to end the title drought this time around.

Williamson, who will be leading the Blackcaps for the fourth time in T20 World Cup, led the team to a semi-final finish in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) board announced the senior men's national squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup on April 29. New Zealand revealed a 15-member power-packed squad to compete for the ICC title under the leadership of superstar Kane Williamson. Trent Boult returned to the New Zealand squad and will partner his longtime bowling partner Tim Southee. Apart from that, the Blackcaps have gone with their experienced campaigners in the spin department while the batting department is packed with explosiveness.

Devon Conway, who has been sidelined for a significant time and was ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL), also marked his return for the World Cup.

New Zealand squad for 2024 T20 World Cup

Kane Williamson (C), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.

ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya surprisingly finds fault in Tilak Varma's valiant knock after MI's loss against DC, says ‘If I had to pick something out...’

ALSO READ: IPL 2024, LSG vs RR: Rajasthan Royals continue to soar as Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel's fifties script 7-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead affirmed that the players have been named in the squad keeping mind the conditions on offer in the West Indies and the US.

“I'd like to congratulate everyone named today. It’s a special time representing your country at a world tournament," Stead said.

“We expect the venues in the West Indies to offer quite varied conditions and feel we’ve selected a squad with the scope to adapt to those conditions," he added.

New Zealand schedule for 2024 T20 World Cup

The Blackcaps will begin their T20 World Cup campaign on June 7 against Afghanistan. On June 12, New Zealand will lock horns with hosts West Indies followed by a face-off with Uganda on June 14. In their last group fixture, Williamson's men will go toe-to-toe with Papua New Guinea.

New Zealand have never won the T20 World Cup and the Blackcaps would look to end the title drought this time around. Williamson, who will be leading the Blackcaps for the fourth time in T20 World Cup, led the team to a semi-final finish in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

MORE ON SPORTS TAK:

'Was pissed off when I didn't hit six on first ball': Dressing room conversation reveals how Virat Kohli almost cost Will Jacks his maiden IPL century

Chennai Super Kings breaks English T20 team's all-time T20 record with 200-plus total against SRH