Black Caps bowler Kyle Jamieson is back after paternity leave. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Black Caps pace-bowling stocks have been bolstered ahead of the milestone Chappell-Hadlee Trophy three-match T20I series against Australia.
Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears are back to join in-form seamer Matt Henry, ICC number one ranked T20I bowler Jacob Duffy and Canterbury's Zak Foulkes in the seam attack for the series which marks 20 years since the first T20 International was played in New Zealand.
Sears was ruled out of the Black Caps Zimbabwe tour with a side injury and returns to face Australia having made his Test debut against them in 2023-24 home season, while Jamieson has yet to face the trans-Tasman rivals in his 51-game Black Caps career.
Michael Bracewell will lead the team in the absence of white-ball captain Mitchell Santner, who was ruled out of the series following abdominal surgery and will instead target a return in England's white-ball tour later in the month.
Bracewell has led the Black Caps for 10 T20I games, registering six wins, three losses and a no-result, with the most recent series at home in March resulting in a 4-1 victory over Pakistan.
Bevon Jacobs has retained his spot in the T20I team, after the 23-year-old impressed on debut with 44 not-out off 30 balls against South Africa during the recent T20I Tri Series in Zimbabwe.
Batters Devon Conway and Tim Seifert, who are both on casual contracts with New Zealand Cricket, have been named in the squad.
Tim Robinson retains his batting spot after a player of the match performance against South Africa in the Tri Series, while Ish Sodhi snares the specialist spinner role, after claiming six wickets across his two T20Is in Zimbabwe - becoming the third men's player in the world to 150 T20I wickets.
Alongside Santner, Finn Allen (foot), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O'Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), were unavailable due to injury.
Kane Williamson, who on Monday was confirmed to play on an NZC international casual playing agreement this season, made himself unavailable for the Australia series.
Bracewell said the side was motivated by the prospect of creating some history in the upcoming series.
Hamish Marshall during the T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park in 2005. Photo: Photosport
"I grew up watching those series and the rivalry is massive between New Zealand and Australia.
"Since 2016 it [the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy] hasn't been with us, and that's something we want to change. Having the opportunity to fight for that on home soil is pretty special."
The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series against Australia starts on 1 October at Bay Oval in Tauranga.
Black Caps T20I squad
Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
Australia T20I squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
Chappell-Hadlee Trophy T20I Series
1st T20I - Weds Oct 1 - 7.15pm - Bay Oval, Tauranga
2nd T20I - Fri Oct 3 - 7.15pm - Bay Oval, Tauranga
3rd T20I - Sat Oct 4 - 7.15pm - Bay Oval, Tauranga
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