New Zealand has announced their squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, with some fresh faces included in the pace attack and a mix of experienced veterans.
The team will be led by Mitchell Santner, who takes on the role of white-ball captain for the first time in a major ICC tournament. This follows a successful series at home against Sri Lanka, where New Zealand won both the ODI and T20I series 2-1.
The tournament's opener will see them face Pakistan on February 19, marking the beginning of their campaign.
The squad includes some promising new talents in the pace department, with Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, and Nathan Smith all set to make their senior ICC event debut. These players are expected to add depth and fresh energy to New Zealand's bowling attack.
Alongside them, Santner will lead the spin department and will be supported by all-rounders like Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra.
The presence of seasoned players like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham adds crucial experience to the team.
Latham will take on the wicketkeeping duties for the duration of the tournament, and both Williamson and Latham were also part of the squad during the previous ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 in England and Wales.
Williamson, in particular, has a wealth of experience, having represented New Zealand in the 2013 edition of the Champions Trophy as well.
As for the pace attack, Matt Henry will take charge, with the support of veteran Lockie Ferguson, who is set to play in his fifth ICC event. Ferguson has been a key player in the last two ICC ODI and T20I World Cups, and his experience will be valuable as New Zealand aims to perform well in this competition.
Jacob Duffy has also been named as a reserve player, in case Ferguson becomes unavailable due to franchise cricket commitments.
New Zealand's squad for the Champions Trophy includes Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, and Will Young.
The Kiwis are placed in a challenging group, and their group-stage fixtures include matches against Pakistan on February 19 in Karachi, Bangladesh on February 24 in Rawalpindi, and India on March 2 in Dubai
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