Sri Lanka prepare for New Zealand challenge with unchanged T20I squad
Sri Lanka have named a strong 16-member squad led by Charith Asalanka for a six-match white-ball series involving three T20Is followed by three ODIs, against New Zealand.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the forthcoming five-match T20I series against England after sustaining a hip injury. In his absence, Kiwi pacer Tim Southee has been given the responsibility to lead the team.
The decision to rest star player Williamson has been taken after he was part of the Northern Districts side against Canterbury at the Hagley Oval in the first round of the Plunket Shield.
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“We’ve been monitoring the injury for a while now and it’s the same issue that ruled him out of the final Test against Bangladesh back in March,” Kiwi coach Gary Stead was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
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“It’s disappointing timing for Kane at the start of an exciting Kiwi summer, but we feel it’s the right decision with a busy season ahead,” he added.
Tim Southee had earlier led the Black Caps to a win in the T20I series against Sri Lanka in the month of September.
“We’re fortunate to have someone experienced like Tim who can comfortably step in and take the reins, as he successfully did on the recent tour of Sri Lanka,” stated Stead.
Meanwhile, Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson has also been included in the first three games of the series and is expected to make a comeback in international cricket after he was ruled out following a broken thumb. He has also been named in the New Zealand XI side which is set to face England in a couple of T20 warm-up matches beginning on Sunday.
Ferguson will not be part of the final two games as he will make way for fellow left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who will participate in the second round of Plunket Shield four-day cricket next week.
The first match of the series will be played in Christchurch on 1 November. The teams will then play a couple of Test matches after the T20I series.
New Zealand T20I squad: Tim Southee (c), Trent Boult (for the final two matches), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (for the first three matches), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner.
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