Williamson and Boult added to the New Zealand T20I side against Pakistan

NZ vs Pak: Kane Williamson and Trent Boult have been added to the New Zealand T20I side against Pakistan. Both the cricketers will be available after the first game. New Zealand and Pakistan will play the three-game T20I series starting December 18.

The duo of Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway are also named in the extended squad for New Zealand. Both the players have involved in the record partnership for the 3rd wicket in T20Is.

Phillips and Conway added 181 runs for the third wicket against West Indies making it the highest ever 3rd wicket stand. The match against the West Indies was held two weeks ago.

Kane Williamson and Trent Boult along with Tim Southee, Kayle Jamieson, and Daryl Mitchell will be available after the first T20I match. The Twenty20 series is scheduled to begin just after three days of the ongoing Test match at Wellington, New Zealand.

All three T20Is will be held at different venues with all the safety precautions. The first one will be at Eden Park, Auckland on 18th December while the second and third are set to be played at Seddon Park, Hamilton 20th December), and McLean Park, Napier (22th December).

The pacer, Loki Ferguson had earlier pulled out of the series after the scan suggested bone stress injury on his lumbar spine. His further availability will be subjected to the next assessment and scan results.

Ferguson ruled out:

?Lokie?s injury concern is a setback for the New Zealand side considering what he brings to the side with his bowling. We are waiting for more information on his rehab program,? Selector Gavin Larsen said.

Speedster Hamish Bennett was also ruled out of the series after he sustained an abdominal tear in round three of the Ford Trophy.

Jacob Duffy has earned his maiden call-up for the T20I squad after an impressive cricket in the domestic circuit.

Spin spearhead Mitchell Santner will lead the side in the absence of Kane Williamson. However, he is reported to take a break from cricket. He is been with the team regularly after CPL.

His place in the side will be backed up by leg spinner Ish Sodhi and Todd Astle. Both the player will join the squad once the stand-in skipper, Mitchell Santner announce a break.

New Zealand T20 Squads GAME 1:

Mitchell Santner (c), Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Todd Astle, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

New Zealand T20 Squad GAMES 2 and 3:

Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Todd Astle, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.

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