WELLINGTON: Tom Latham will lead a new-look New Zealand side for a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting from March 25, with Kiwis set to play without several key players.
New Zealand will be without ODI regulars Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner. Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Glenn Phillips will also be released from the squad after the first ODI to travel to India for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The three players will be replaced by Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman and Ben Lister in the squad from the second ODI onwards. The series will also witness the returns of Will Young and Tom Blundell to the ODI setup.
Skipper Tom Latham will be able to bank on the presence of regulars like Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi and Michael Bracewell for all the three ODIs.
New Zealand have also handed a call-up to Chad Bowes, who could be in line to make his international debut for his country. On the selections, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said as quoted by ICC, “It is always exciting as a coach to have new players in the environment and to have players putting their hands up to be selected again in a particular format.”
“We are set to play 16 white ball matches between now and the start of May so there will be a number of chances for players to test themselves in familiar and unfamiliar conditions.” The three matches will be played between March 25 and 31 in Auckland, Christchurch and Hamilton.
New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (c), Finn Allen (ODI 1), Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman (ODI 2 & 3), Lockie Ferguson (ODI 1), Matt Henry, Ben Lister (ODI 2 & 3), Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls (ODI 2 & 3), Glenn Phillips (ODI 1), Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young. (ANI)
