Astle and Chapman included in World Cup squad

Legspinner Todd Astle and allrounder Mark Chapman have been included in a 15-player squad for this year’s T20 World Cup.

With spin expected to dominate the tournament in the UAE in October, Astle is the third spinner in the 15-man squad alongside Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.

Colin de Grandhomme and Hamish Bennett are among those to miss out.

Adam Milne has been named as injury cover.

New Zealand Cricket has also named squads for leadup tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan as it tries to manage player and staff welfare.

The Test squad to tour India will not be announced for another month.

A total of 32 players will be used including two new to the set-up in Canterbury all-rounder Cole McConchie, and Wellington paceman Ben Sears.

Additionally, a new crew of coaching staff, headed by Wellington coach Glenn Pocknall, will lead the tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan alongside experienced manager Mike Sandle – with regular Black Caps bowling coach Shane Jurgenson joining as head coach for the Pakistan T20 series.

Tom Latham will captain the side in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the usual combination of skipper Kane Williamson and coach Gary Stead will resume duties for the T20 World Cup and the Test tour to India.

Mark Chapman
Photo: Photosport

Ross Taylor was selected for the three ODIs in Pakistan but, with the brief nature of the one-week series and the length of quarantine protocols, it was mutually agreed he would remain at home to prepare for the Indian Test tour and upcoming home summer.

The first New Zealand squad will depart for Bangladesh on the 23rd of this month and the players from the Test tour to India will return home and emerge from MIQ just before Christmas.

NZC chief executive David White said changing times demanded changing strategies, with player welfare and support now one of professional sport’s biggest challenges, particularly in the current pandemic environment.

“The need to safeguard the well-being of our players and support staff is now very real, and we’ve endeavoured to do this by carefully managing their workloads over this winter’s massive playing programme,” said Mr White.

“As the Black Caps proved in England earlier this year, we have good depth in the New Zealand game and I’m confident all the squads chosen will acquit themselves well.”

White confirmed that those BLACKCAPS involved in the prematurely suspended IPL21 would be allowed to re-join their franchises, and complete the competition when it re-starts in September.

BLACKCAPS squad for ICC T20 World Cup and India T20s, October-November.

Kane Williamson (c)

Todd Astle

Trent Boult

Mark Chapman

Devon Conway

Lockie Ferguson

Martin Guptill

Kyle Jamieson

Daryl Mitchell

Jimmy Neesham

Glenn Phillips

Mitchell Santner

Tim Seifert (wk)

Ish Sodhi

Tim Southee

*Adam Milne (injury cover)

Coaching Staff: Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen, Luke Ronchi, (fourth coach TBA)

BLACKCAPS squad for Bangladesh T20s & Pakistan ODIs, September.

Tom Latham (c) (wk)

Finn Allen

Hamish Bennett

Tom Blundell (wk)

Doug Bracewell

Colin de Grandhomme

Jacob Duffy

Matt Henry (ODI only)

Scott Kuggeleijn

Cole McConchie

Henry Nicholls

Ajaz Patel

Rachin Ravindra

Ben Sears (T20 only)

Blair Tickner

Will Young

Coaching Staff: Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Tilan Samaraweera

BLACKCAPS squad for Pakistan T20s, October.

Tom Latham (c) (wk)

Finn Allen

Todd Astle

Hamish Bennett

Tom Blundell (wk)

Mark Chapman

Colin de Grandhomme

Martin Guptill

Matt Henry

Daryl Mitchell

Ajaz Patel

Ish Sodhi

Ben Sears

Blair Tickner

Will Young

Coaching Staff: Shane Jurgensen, Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Tilan Samaraweera

Black Caps schedule

Bangladesh – Five T20 Internationals

Pakistan – Three ODIs and five T20 Internationals

ICC T20 World Cup – Group 1 (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan + two more teams to be added)

India – Three T20 Internationals and two Tests