Seasoned players Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson were on Sunday recalled to an experienced New Zealand squad to take part in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The key trio was unavailable for the just completed home ODI series against Sri Lanka due to offshore T20 commitments. Batsmen Williamson and Conway play in the South African T20 competition, while pace bowler Ferguson is involved in the Australian Big Bash competition. Ben Sears was also selected for the ICC tournament co-hosted by Pakistan and UAE after missing the 2-1 win over Sri Lanka with a knee injury.
It will be the first senior ICC event for Sears and fellow pace bowlers Will O'Rourke and Nathan Smith.
Coach Gary Stead will oversee a squad he also believes has experience and depth.
“We are blessed with a lot of quality players at the moment and that certainly made for some challenging selection conversations,” said Stead.
Spin bowler Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand at a major event for the first time after being named full-time white-ball captain in December.
Santner, former skipper Williamson and wicketkeeper Tom Latham were all part of the New Zealand squad for the last edition of the Champions Trophy, in England and Wales in 2017.
New Zealand will play the opening match of the tournament against Pakistan in Karachi on February 19, followed by group matches against Bangladesh and India.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (capt), Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Will O'Rourke
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