By Zainab Shafiq 
In a significant development for New Zealand cricket, Kane Williamson is set to return as captain for the upcoming T20 International series against Pakistan. However, the star batsman will be unavailable for the third T20I as he continues to manage a knee injury. To fill the void, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has named Josh Clarkson, who is poised to make his potential debut in the third match, with Mitchell Santner taking charge in Williamson’s absence.
The five-match series, scheduled to kick off on January 12, promises to be an exciting contest between the two cricketing nations. Rachin Ravindra, who has been in stellar form with standout performances in the recently concluded World Cup 2023, will be rested for the series to manage his workload, although NZC has expressed consideration for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup 2024.
New Zealand will see the return of pace duo Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry, both recovering from injuries. However, Ferguson will only be available for the third, fourth, and fifth matches as he participates in the Super Smash before joining the T20I series. To compensate for the first two games, Ben Sears has been named in the squad.
Notably, Trent Boult and Jimmy Neesham will be unavailable due to their commitments in T20 leagues. The T20I squad features a mix of experience and exciting talent, with players like Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, and Glenn Phillips contributing to the team’s depth.
With a balanced squad and Kane Williamson at the helm, New Zealand aim to put up a strong performance against Pakistan in the T20I series, setting the stage for an intense cricketing battle.
New Zealand squad for Pakistan series
- Kane Williamson (c) (games 1,2,4 & 5)
- Finn Allen
- Mark Chapman
- Josh Clarkson (game 3 only)
- Devon Conway (wk)
- Lockie Ferguson (games 3,4 & 5)
- Matt Henry
- Adam Milne
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Mitchell Santner
- Ben Sears (games 1 & 2)
- Tim Seifert (wk)
- Ish Sodhi
- Tim Southee
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