- Name: New Zealand
- Captain: Kane Williamson
- Head Coach: Gary Stead
- Squad members: 15+1
- Best result: Semi finalists in 2014, 2016
- WT20 2016 result: Semi final
Semi finalists in the last two editions of the ICC T20 World Cup and finalists in the last two editions of the ICC 50-over World Cup another name for this team can surely be ‘consistent’. However, New Zealand is probably fed-up of making knockout games and in the 2021 T20 World Cup, you can expect them to either bust out early, or ensure they go one step further than usual. However, they face a tough Asian challenge in the group stage.
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India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are their group members and while the latter is going to be an easier opponent, India and Pakistan are among the tournament favourites. In fact, Pakistan will be super motivated against the Kiwis after the latter dropped out of the 2021 New Zealand tour of Pakistan, a few minutes before the tour began! NZ has a balanced squad but they’ll really be the team to beat if they get through the group stage.
Captaining the side is Kane Williamson who knows how to bat in almost every condition, but he wouldn’t be too happy with the scrappy knocks he played in IPL 2021 where he only got one good score of 51* in the 6 games he played in UAE. The top order needs a lot of work done as opening batsman Martin Guptill has really been struggling for form. In UAE, he got 4 single digit scores in his last 5 PSL games and it’s been months since his last fifty across formats.
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The long shining light at the top of the order could be Devon Conway. Now remember, the South African born south-paw has a very short international career under his belt so far and is clearly inexperienced, but he can’t seem to stop scoring runs. He has 4 fifties in 14 T20Is and also scored a double century on Test debut earlier this year, so if nothing, at least have him in your bets to be the top Kiwi batsman in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
While Conway has held the keeping gloves in the past, they have two other wicket-keeping options in Glenn Phillips and Tim Seifert. We’re not sure if Phillips would be behind the stumps because of late, T20 franchise teams have been using him as an effective bowling option and he’s a live wire in the field as well. Expect some big blows from his bat when he steps out to bat in the middle order while we’re expecting more from the experienced Jimmy Neesham too.
While Neesham will be first-choice among the all-rounders, Daryl Mitchell is someone who has been proving his worth continuously at the domestic level and has played in a few franchise teams as well by now. Again, a great field, a useful medium pacer and someone who can clear the fence with ease as well. So many all-rounders means someone like Mitchell Santner may end up missing out, since he didn’t play for CSK in IPL 2021 in UAE either.
New Zealand – T20 World Cup 2021 Betting
This team has some of the fastest pacers in world cricket including Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee. They may decide to play all four and one spinner in Ish Sodhi, which then rules out the need to play so many all-rounders. Or else, they may consider dropping Southee as he hasn’t been known as a T20 specialist over the years. Ferguson has been getting results in IPL 2021 for KKR while Jamieson is certainly their x-factor bowler.
Like Conway, Jamieson has had a short international career so far but he can’t seem to stop taking wickets, across all formats. In IPL 2021, RCB didn’t end up using him much but he’s a strike bowler and his height would mean causing a lot of troubles to batsmen, especially against Asian opponents in the group stages. If you remember well, he picked up 7 wickets against India in the WTC Final 2021 and won the Man of the Match award as well.
NEW ZEALAND T20 World Cup 2021 squad: Kane Williamson (C), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Todd Astle, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee. RESERVES: Adam Milne.
Travelling as part of the reserves is Adam Milne who can also add heavily to the fast bowling unit in case of any injuries but one thing is for sure that this team is banking heavily on their pacers. For someone like Lockie Ferguson, he’s made a habit of striking any time in an innings, even if brought on to bowl in the middle overs or in the death. After the Eliminator in IPL 2021, Ferguson had a tally of 12 scalps in 6 games in the tournament.
For more updates on the New Zealand cricket team at the 2021 T20 World Cup, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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