Veteran batter Devon Conway has been excluded from New Zealand's squad for the upcoming T20 tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, marking head coach Rob Walter’s first assignment in charge.
Conway, along with several other senior players, opted out of New Zealand Cricket’s central contracts to focus on franchise T20 leagues abroad. His last appearance for the Black Caps was during the T20 World Cup in June last year.
Former skipper Kane Williamson has also made himself unavailable as he continues his stint with Middlesex in England’s county championship.
The 15-member squad, announced on Friday, includes uncapped Auckland batter Bevon Jacobs, who was previously part of the squad for the Sri Lanka series in December but did not get a game.
Pacer Adam Milne has earned a recall for the first time since November following impressive performances in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.
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Batters Finn Allen and Tim Seifert have also returned to the squad, which will be led by Mitchell Santner. Allen recently made headlines with a world-record 19 sixes during his 151-run knock for the San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC.
“We’ve got a really strong squad for this tour, and I’m excited to bring the group together,” Walter said. “There’s good experience in the side, and it’s great to have back some players who missed the Pakistan series in March due to IPL commitments.”
The tri-series will be held in Harare from July 14 to 26.