Michael Bracewell has been named captain of the New Zealand squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting Sunday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.Bracewell, who played a crucial role in New Zealand’s run to the ICC Champions Trophy final, steps in for regular white-ball captain Mitch Santner, who is unavailable due to domestic T20 commitments. This marks Bracewell’s first opportunity to lead New Zealand on home soil, having previously captained the side during a white-ball tour of Pakistan.
"It’s a great honour and a real privilege to captain your country," Bracewell said. "I really enjoyed leading the side in Pakistan last year, and it’s great to have many of those players back for this series. Mitch Santner has done an outstanding job, and my focus will be on building upon his good work while fostering a positive environment for the team to perform in.”
Bracewell acknowledged the threat posed by Pakistan, a traditionally strong short-format team. "Pakistan are always a dangerous side with power and pace, and we know they’ll be eager to bounce back after an early exit in the Champions Trophy. For those of us returning from Dubai, there’s disappointment but also pride in how we performed. We’re looking forward to playing in front of our home fans at full venues."
The squad sees the return of Ish Sodhi, who missed the recent home series against Sri Lanka, and Ben Sears, who was sidelined due to a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. Fast bowlers Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke will be available for the first three matches as part of workload management, while Matt Henry, the leading wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy despite missing the final due to injury, is set to feature in the last two games pending a fitness assessment.
Selector Sam Wells emphasised the importance of the series as part of New Zealand’s preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year. "We’ve made it clear that availability for the World Cup and its build-up was key for selection in this series. With half the squad returning from the Champions Trophy only days before the series starts, managing workloads will be crucial. It’s great to have players like Ish, Kyle, and Ben back in the mix."
Several key players, including Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, and Rachin Ravindra, are unavailable due to other T20 commitments, while Kane Williamson has also opted out of the series. (UNI)
New Zealand T20I Squad vs Pakistan:
Michael Bracewell (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes (matches 4-5), Mitch Hay, Matt Henry (matches 4-5), Kyle Jamieson (matches 1-3), Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke (matches 1-3), Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
T20I Series Schedule:
1st T20I: Sunday, 16 March – Hagley Oval, Christchurch
2nd T20I: Tuesday, 18 March – University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
3rd T20I: Friday, 21 March – Eden Park, Auckland
4th T20I: Sunday, 23 March – Bay Oval, Tauranga
5th T20I: Wednesday, 25 March – Sky Stadium, Wellington
