New Zealand Cricket has unveiled the team for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the USA and the West Indies. The premier cricket competition, which pits some of the top teams around the globe against one another for the championship, will begin play on June 2.
The Black Caps’ tournament captain will be veteran batter Kane Williamson, who will be commanding a group that is very inexperienced, as disclosed during the squad announcement. It’s interesting to note that Matilda and Angus, two “special kids,” took the stage to announce the team in an endearing manner rather than the customary selection committee.
Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, and numerous other celebrities will compete for New Zealand in the competition. Kane Williamson is set to compete in his sixth T20 World Cup and his fourth competition leading the team. Williamson is the only member of the squad with less experience than Tim Southee, and both veterans will look to lead from the front and perhaps help the Black Caps to a historic victory.
Check out New Zealand’s adorable style of announcing their World Cup squad here:
Join special guests Matilda and Angus at the squad announcement for the upcoming @t20worldcup in the West Indies and USA. #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/6lZbAsFlD5
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) April 29, 2024
Our squad for the @t20worldcup in the West Indies and USA in June 🏏
MORE | https://t.co/a8cLkEjSDH #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OUwHjEdaPn
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) April 29, 2024
I want to congratulate everyone who was mentioned today: Gary Stead
Following the squad announcement, Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand, took to the podium to congratulate each and every player selected for the T20 World Cup 2024. He even gave special recognition to players who had been selected, such as Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra.
“I want to congratulate all of the people who were named today. NZC reported Gary Stead as saying, “It’s a special time representing your country at a world tournament.” We expect the venues in the West Indies to offer quite varied conditions and feel we’ve selected a squad with the scope to adapt to those conditions.”
“It was thrilling to watch Matt continue that trajectory over the summer in the T20 format against Australia. Matt has worked incredibly hard to improve his skills across the phases of a T20 game to come back into selection consideration,” he continued. “Rachin has made every post a winner in the past 12 months.”
Squad for the BLACKCAPS ICC T20 World Cup:
Kane Williamson (C) , Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, and Tim Southee