The veteran wk-batter Tom Latham was named in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa.
Latham, who made last T20I appearance in April 2023, was the highest run getter for Canterbury in the previous edition of the Super Smash.
“Tom’s selection comes off the back of a strong Super Smash season at the top of the order for the Kings,” selector Gavin Larsen said. “He’ll bring all his quality and experience, but as important as his leadership, which we are also likely to call on in the upcoming white-ball tour to Bangladesh in April.”
A total of eight members of the T20 World Cup campaign have been named in the New Zealand squad for the T20Is. However, Devon Conway, Lockier Ferguson and Mitchell Santner will play only three games, while Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi are available for the entire series.
On the other hand, three uncapped players – Katene Clarke, Nick Kelly and Jayden Lennox, with Clarke and Lennox to feature in the final two games of South Africa tour of New Zealand 2026.
Katene Clarke had a brilliant Super Smash season and emerged as the highest run getter with 431 runs, including an unbeaten century.
“Katene is someone we’ve been keeping an eye on for a while now, and so it was great to see him shoot the lights out in the Super Smash and force his way into his first Black Caps squad,” selector Gavin Larsen said.
“He’s an explosive player who possesses plenty of power and a variety of shots. He’s shown destructive ability inside the power play, but also crucially the ability to bat deep in an innings too.”
Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Lennox earns his maiden T20I call-up after turning heads in his maiden ODI series against India earlier this year, while Kelly’s selection follows consistent domestic performance for Wellington Firebirds and his ODI debut series against Pakistan last year.
Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, and Tim Robinson have been included for the entire series, with Clarkson returning to the T20I setup for the first time since 2024.
Several senior players, including Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert, have been rested after the World Cup campaign.
New Zealand Squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Katene Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Tom Latham, Jayden Lennox, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi
Comments are closed.