Blackcaps name experienced squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride - that's one way to summarise New Zealand's fortunes at both ODI and T20 Cricket World Cups in recent memory.

In the twenty-over format, NZ have finished as semifinalists in 2022, runner-up to Australia in 2021, plus more semifinal heartache in 2016. But with disappointment comes experience, and the Blackcaps will be banking on said experience to guide them to World Cup victory later this year in the USA and West Indies.

Led by Kane Williamson, who will skipper New Zealand at the tournament for the fourth time in his sixth overall appearance, Blackcaps selector Sam Wells has revealed the squad he believes can finally bring home the result Kiwi cricket fans have been hanging out for.

Williamsons' pedigree and experience is bolstered by Tim Southee (7th World Cup) and Trent Boult (5th). Southee enters the World Cup as the leading wicket taker in the history of T20 Internationals.

Wells has opted for a Blackcaps side that knows the West Indian conditions well, with 13 of the 15-strong squad playing in New Zealand's tour of the West Indies in 2022, where they won the three-match series 2-1. Six of the players were also involved in the Caribbean Premier League T20 competition.

Blackcaps coach Gary Stead will be supported by batting coach Luke Ronchi, bowling coach Jacob Oram, plus assistant coach James Foster who will focus on fielding.

“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," Stead said.

Only two squad members have no ICC T20 World Cup experience: bowler Matt Henry and all-rounder Rachin Ravindra.

"Matt has worked exceptionally hard on his skills across the phases of a T20 game to come back into selection consideration," Stead added.

“Rachin has made every post a winner in the past 12 months and it was exciting to see him continue that trajectory over the summer in the T20 format against Australia.”

Ben Sears has also been named as the travelling reserve for injury cover in the bowling stocks. Adam Milnes (ankle) and Kyle Jamieson (back) were ruled out due to their ongoing rehabilitation from injury.

Blackcaps ICC T20 World Cup Squad:
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
Tim Southee
Ben Sears (travelling reserve)

The squad members and support staff based in New Zealand will depart on May 23 ahead of the tournament's commencement in June.