While Ferguson will only play in the final three games and Williamson will miss the third T20I, Henry and Conway will participate in all five T20Is.
With the smooth recovery of Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson from their respective ailments, as well as the return of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson from periods of rest, New Zealand has chosen a full-strength squad for the five-match T20I series against Pakistan at home. Rachin Ravindra, an all-around player, took a break after traveling since August of last year.
After hurting his right hamstring during the World Cup match in Pune against South Africa, Henry missed two months of action. He will play his first competitive game for Canterbury on January 5 in a Super Smash T20 match against Central Districts. The following week, he will travel to Auckland to join the New Zealand team of 13.
Ferguson, who sustained an Achilles injury during the World Cup, has been included for the last three Twenty20 Internationals, despite Henry being selected for all five. Before joining the New Zealand team, Ferguson will play three Super Smash games for Auckland over the course of the next two weeks. Ben Sears, a fast bowler, is part of this T20I squad for the first two games.
Williamson will miss the third Twenty20 international against Pakistan as he continues to monitor his knee ailment. He was rested for the Bangladesh ODIs and T20Is. If not, he will reclaim the captaincy for the remaining four games. Josh Clarkson, an uncapped batter from Central Districts, has been called up as a cover for the third Twenty20 International, while Mitchell Santner will serve as the captain.
“We’re excited to have Matt, Devon, Lockie, and Kane back,” stated Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand. “All four of them are excellent players in their own right, and their knowledge and abilities will strengthen our team. There are just three Twenty20 International series remaining until the Twenty20 World Cup, so every game counts toward our preparation.”
Stead gave an explanation for Ravindra’s relaxation, citing his five-month tour of five different nations. After finishing the World Cup as the fourth-highest run scorer, Ravindra was acquired by CSK for INR 1.8 crore (about US$ 216,000) at the IPL auction.
“Rachin’s a young player who has immense value to New Zealand Cricket and we therefore want to look after his wellbeing,” Stead stated. “It’s just not feasible for him to be the lone player or staff member who has been traveling nonstop for the last five months across five different nations. He will be considered again for the T20 series against Australia in February and is still very much a part of our plans for the T20 World Cup in June.”
The rest of the team is similar to the one that was tied with Bangladesh in the Twenty20 International Series last week. Both Michael Bracewell and Kyle Jamieson were disregarded because they were still recovering from their injuries. Due to international T20 commitments, Trent Boult and James Neesham were unable to participate.
