Xtra Time Web Desk: The New Zealand cricket team will be travelling to India with a 20 member squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup slated to take place later in the year. The New Zealand Cricket Board will be taking such a measure so as to manage the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally the trend is to send 15 or 16 member teams for ICC events but due to the current situation, the Black Caps are likely to travel to India with a bigger squad.
“The way Covid is at the moment and the way the world is changing so quickly, I’d probably expect there could be up to 20 people in the squad,” Black Caps Head Coach Gary Stead was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
“In some ways, that makes it easier getting the balance you want throughout and having your people who are next in line ready to go.
“I think it’s realistic to expect that there could be guys selected to go to the World Cup later in the year, who may not have played for New Zealand (in T20s).”
The next edition of the T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India in October-November.
New Zealand are slated to play a five-match T20 international series against Australia, starting from Monday.
“Australia are still a dangerous team. You could argue this is the form team of the Big Bash that’s over here right now.
“Yes, they may not have some of those names that we expect to see, but when you look through their lineup, they’re still class right the way through,” Stead said of the upcoming series.