Kane Williamson to lead 13-member New Zealand squad for Bangladesh T20Is, Rachin Ravindra excluded

New Zealand is gearing up for the T20 World Cup next year with a three-match T20I home series against Bangladesh, marking the beginning of their preparation. Leading the team is Kane Williamson, who returns as captain for this series after last playing T20I against India post the T20 World Cup last year.

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Williamson, a vital part of the Test team in the recent series in Bangladesh, was given a break for the current ODI series starting in Dunedin. His focus is now on maintaining fitness and form as he looks ahead to the T20 World Cup. Fans can also look forward to seeing him in action in the next IPL season, representing Gujarat Titans, following his limited participation last season due to injury.

The squad sees the return of Tim Seifert, the wicketkeeper-batter, who is set to open the innings. Fast bowler Ben Sears, who last played in August 2022, also makes a comeback. However, the team will be without Devon Conway, who is taking a rest after a busy year, and several players are sidelined with injuries, including Michael Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, and Henry Shipley.

Trent Boult has opted out of selection for this series, continuing his pattern from the ODIs.

Gary Stead, New Zealand's head coach, expressed that the series against Bangladesh is a vital step in building towards the World Cup. He emphasized the opportunity for players to solidify their positions in the squad in the lead-up to the prestigious tournament.

"With a World Cup in the middle of next year we're well into our planning in terms of both the tournament and the type of squad we might need in the conditions/. While we're advanced in our planning, as we saw with the One Day World Cup Squad this year with the likes of Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra - there is certainly still time for players to come into that mix," Stead said.

The New Zealand team will begin their series preparations on Boxing Day in Napier, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting build-up to the T20 World Cup. The series is not just about immediate results, but also shaping the future of New Zealand's T20 side as they eye global dominance in the fast-paced format.

New Zealand T20I Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ben Sears.

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