ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Decoding the New Zealand squad
Last edition's finalists, New Zealand will be aiming to win their maiden World Cup title this time. The Kiwis will be eager to shine at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, which will start on October 5. Led by Kane Williamson, the Blackcaps are a team with plenty of talent and also full of surprises. Here we analyze their World Cup squad.
Kane Williamson will lead the team despite injury concerns
Despite not playing ODIs since January, Williamson has been named in the NZ squad as captain. The veteran batter suffered a knee injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL). He underwent surgery and has recovered way before the expected time to boost NZ's chances at the World Cup. Adam Milne also missed out due to suffering a hamstring injury, Matt Henry has replaced him.
Here's New Zealand's 15-member World Cup squad
New Zealand's World Cup squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Latham (vc & wicket-keeper), Devon Conway (wicket-keeper), Glenn Phillips (wicket-keeper), Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Will Young, Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry.
A look at the Kiwi batters
In this squad, Williamson has scored the most runs in ODI World Cups. He has amassed 911 runs in 23 matches at 56.93. Latham has slammed 3,797 runs in 134 matches at 34.83 (50s: 21, 100s: 7). Mitchell with 652 runs is NZ's highest scorer in ODIs this year at an average of 43.46. He has hammered three centuries in 2023.
Conway and Young have also been very impressive
Conway has smashed 449 runs in only 10 matches this year at 49.88 with a strike rate of 96.55. He can hand NZ great starts and he relishes playing in Indian conditions. He is adept at playing spin. Conway has also hammered three centuries in 2023. Meanwhile, Young is the second-highest scorer for NZ in 2023 with 578 runs at 44.46, slamming five fifties.
Plenty of all-rounders for NZ
The likes of Neesham, Philipps, Chapman, and Mitchell can all roll their arm over if needed. However, the primary all-rounders are Santner and Ravindra, who can be crucial in spinning conditions. Ravindra has impressed with his batting and bowling in recent times, while Santner is always handy in the sub-continent tracks. NZ will hope that Chapman and Neesham can add those finishing touches.
A look at the NZ bowlers
Henry has returned with 14 wickets in 10 matches this year at 32.28. While Sodhi has claimed 13 wickets in 12 matches. Out of which he scalped career-best figures of 6/39 against Bangladesh recently. Boult has scalped 39 wickets in 19 ODI World Cup matches, the most by a NZ bowler in the tournament. Southee's 7/33 is NZ's best figures in the World Cup.
Here are the NZ's key performers
Williamson will do the bulk of scoring, having compiled 6,554 runs in 161 ODIs. The likes of Latham (3,797), Nicholls (1,960), Neesham (1,437), and Santner (1,252) form the top five run-getters for NZ in ODIs. Boult and Southee will lead the attack with 197 and 214 ODI wickets respectively. Henry scalped 130 wickets while Santner (91), and Ferguson (89) are the most impactful bowlers.
