Michael Bracewell will captain New Zealand in their upcoming five-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting Sunday in Christchurch. Bracewell takes over from Mitch Santner, who is unavailable due to domestic T20 commitments.
Bracewell, a key player in New Zealand’s Champions Trophy campaign, is joined by six teammates from that tournament. Having previously led the side on a white-ball tour of Pakistan, he is eager to captain at home.
“It’s a great honour to lead my country,” Bracewell said. “Mitch has done an excellent job as captain, and I aim to build on his efforts while fostering a positive team environment.”
New Zealand selector Sam Wells emphasized the squad’s focus on next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. “We are narrowing our sights on the tournament, and availability for it was a key factor in squad selection,” he said.
Several players, including Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, and Rachin Ravindra, are unavailable due to T20 commitments, while Kane Williamson has also opted out.
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
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