Williamson to lead experienced squad to ICC T20 World Cup

Kane Williamson will lead a BLACKCAPS squad with a wealth of tournament experience to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, starting in the West Indies and United States of America in June.

The squad led by Williamson was revealed today by BLACKCAPS selector Sam Wells at an event held at the ANZ Centre in Auckland.

This is Williamson’s sixth appearance in a T20 World Cup squad and his fourth tournament as captain.

His experience is bettered only by Tim Southee, who has earned selection in his seventh T20 World Cup squad and currently sits as the leading wicket taker in the history of T20 Internationals.

Further to the experience offered by Williamson and Southee, Trent Boult has been selected in his fifth T20 World Cup squad.

The squad also boasts significant recent experience in the conditions with 13 of the 15-man group featuring on the team’s last tour to the West Indies in 2022.

As well as that, six of the squad have also featured in the Caribbean Premier League T20 competition.

Bowler Matt Henry and batting all-rounder Rachin Ravindra are the only two members of the 15 without ICC T20 World Cup experience.

Alongside the 15 players selected in the tournament squad, pace bowler Ben Sears will travel and train with the team as injury cover.

Adam Milne was ruled out following surgery to repair an ankle injury, and Kyle Jamieson was also unavailable for selection as he continues to rehabilitate his back injury.

BLACKCAPS coach Gary Stead said naming a squad for a pinnacle event was always an exciting time.

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

“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.”

Stead said he was delighted to name two players for an ICC T20 World Cup the first time, in Henry and Ravindra.

"Matt has worked exceptionally hard on his skills across the phases of a T20 game to come back into selection consideration," he said.

“Rachin has made every post a winner in the past 12 months and it was exciting to see him continue that trajectory over the summer in the T20 format against Australia.”

BLACKCAPS ICC T20 World Cup Squad

Kane Williamson (C)Finn Allen Trent Boult Michael BracewellMark Chapman Devon ConwayLockie Ferguson Matt Henry Daryl Mitchell Jimmy Neesham Glenn PhillipsRachin Ravindra Mitchell Santner Ish Sodhi Tim Southee

Ben Sears - Travelling Reserve

Stead will lead a support staff group featuring batting coach Luke Ronchi and Jacob Oram as bowling coach, while James Foster will act as assistant coach for the group with a focus on fielding.

Oram featured as a player the last time the men’s tournament was held in the West Indies, and he was also part of the WHITE FERNS coaching group the last time the women’s edition was held in the Caribbean.

The New Zealand based members of the squad and support staff will leave for the tournament on the 23rd of May.