Kane Williamson to Lead Experienced New Zealand Squad at 2024 T20 World Cup

New Zealand Cricket has announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming sixth T20 World Cup, set to take place in the United States and the West Indies from June 2-30, 2024. The experienced squad will be led by captain Kane Williamson, who is set to make his sixth appearance in the tournament.

The team features seasoned players like Tim Southee, who will be participating in his seventh T20 World Cup, and Trent Boult, who will be playing in his fifth. Southee and Boult are expected to lead the New Zealand bowling attack. The only new additions to the squad are seam bowler Matt Henry and batting all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, who was voted the emerging cricketer of 2023.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead stressed the importance of experience in a World Cup squad, stating, "We have a squad of 15 players that we believe can help us achieve our goal of winning our first ever T20 World Cup. We have selected players that have the experience and skill to succeed in the West Indies conditions, which from all reports will be quite different to what we experienced at the last T20 World Cup in Australia."

The squad has significant recent experience in the West Indies conditions, with 13 of the 15 players having toured there in 2022. Six squad members have also played in the Caribbean Premier League T20 competition. Stead believes the team has the scope to adapt to the varied conditions expected in the West Indies.

Why this matters: New Zealand's experienced squad and strong pace attack make them serious contenders for their maiden T20 World Cup title. The team's recent experience in West Indies conditions could prove crucial in their campaign.

New Zealand has been drawn in Group C alongside Afghanistan, West Indies, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda. They will open their campaign against Afghanistan and the host nation West Indies. The Kiwis are seeking their first T20 World Cup title after reaching the semi-finals in the last three tournaments and the final in 2021.

Key Takeaways

• New Zealand announced a 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
• Kane Williamson will captain the experienced squad, making his 6th appearance.
• Seasoned players like Southee and Boult will lead the bowling attack.
• The team has significant recent experience in West Indies conditions.
• New Zealand seeks their maiden T20 World Cup title after 3 semi-final appearances.