Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand Cricket, and Kyle Jamieson, the star bowler, have withdrawn from the forthcoming three-match Twenty20 International Series against Bangladesh. Williamson, who has been recovering from knee surgery since April, will carry on with his recovery, and Jamieson will tend to his hamstring problem. In the T20I matches beginning on December 27, opener Rachin Ravindra and seamer Jacob Duffy will replace the two.
Williamson will not be the captain going forward; Mitchell Santner will take over. Prioritizing their fitness for the forthcoming Test series against South Africa and Australia in early 2024, coach Gary Stead emphasized the medical advice that guided the choice. Their recuperation and preparation for the impending important exams will continue to be key priorities.
Prior to the upcoming round of Test matches against South Africa and Australia, we want both Kyle and Kane to be in the finest possible shape. A time of recovery and conditioning was determined to be the best course of action for both of them after conversations with the players and medical staff, according to a statement from Stead.
As an accomplished T20 cricket player, Jacob consistently adds a lot to the BLACKCAPS team. In recent seasons, he’s put a lot of effort into improving his white-ball talents. Rachin improves in any setting he’s in and is driven to learn and advance in all three formats of the game,” the speaker continued.
Captain Kane Williamson and Kyle Jamieson have been withdrawn from the T20 Squad to face Bangladesh after Christmas. They will be replaced by Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy, respectively. Mitchell Santner will be captain for the series. #NZvBAN https://t.co/pBk3TcLFk2
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 21, 2023
For the T20I series against Pakistan, Kane Williamson will return.
Kane Williamson is expected to return for the T20I series against Pakistan in January, along with Kyle Jamieson, who will not play in the series, according to a Black Caps official. After defeating Bangladesh in both of the ODI series’ matches, New Zealand is in position to sweep the series going forward and will play the third ODI in Napier this Saturday.
The latest T20I team for New Zealand:
Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, and Tim Southee