New Zealand’s ICC Champions Trophy squad announcements are often full of surprises, and while this time wasn’t overly flashy, it still had its share of innovation.
For the first time, Mitchell Santner will captain New Zealand in an ICC tournament. The newly appointed white-ball captain revealed the names of his 14 teammates for the Champions Trophy in a unique style.
The standout inclusion is Ben Sears, who has yet to make his ODI debut. Despite playing just one Test and 17 T20Is, Sears has been named in the squad. Having recently returned from injury, he played a domestic T20 game and earned his spot. Another exciting pick is Nathan Smith, an all-rounder who has impressed since his international debut a couple of months ago.
In recent years, New Zealand has gained a reputation for announcing squads in creative ways on social media. This time, Santner took a seat in an empty gallery and started by saying, “I’m Mitchell Santner, and this is our team for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE…”
As he unveiled each name, Santner added short descriptions. For instance, spin-bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell was called “The Beast,” while Lockie Ferguson was described as “the guy with a rocket in him—the Thunderbolt.”
While announcing Mark Chapman’s name, Santner hinted at his strong record in Pakistan, where Chapman has scored one century and three fifties in 10 T20Is, averaging 104 with a strike rate of nearly 164. Santner quipped that Chapman “never says no to a Pakistan tour.”
Sears earned the nickname “Rocket Man.” Despite being sidelined with an injury since April, he recently returned to cricket and played a T20 match. In 33 List A matches, he has taken 40 wickets.
The skipper even joked about a “new and upcoming player” in the squad, only to clarify it was none other than Kane Williamson, who, of course, has been an integral part of the team for years.
Wrapping up, Santner added, “I’ll be there too.”
New Zealand is grouped with hosts Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy. Before the tournament, they will play a tri-series in Pakistan featuring South Africa as the third team. However, some players might miss the series due to commitments in the SA20 and ILT20 leagues.
New Zealand Squad: Mitchell Santner (Captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
