Devon Conway, Mitch Hay, Jimmy Neesham, and Tim Robinson have been added to New Zealand’s T20I squad in Harare ahead of the upcoming Tri-Series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Sunday.
The additions come as several Kiwi players remain tied up with franchise duties in the USA. Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra are all part of the Major League Cricket (MLC) final, where the Washington Freedom take on MI New York on Monday.
Conway comes in as a direct replacement for the injured Finn Allen, who was ruled out of the entire series earlier this week with a foot injury. The left-handed opener, a proven performer across formats, brings experience and stability to the top order.
Meanwhile, Hay, Neesham, and Robinson will link up with the squad as cover for the quartet still involved in the MLC final. Their availability ensures the Black Caps have sufficient depth in case any of the MLC players are delayed or unavailable for the opening matches.
“We’re really gutted for Finn,” said head coach Rob Walter. “I was looking forward to working with him and seeing him carry his MLC form into this series. But unfortunately, injuries are part of the game. We’re fortunate to have someone of Devon’s calibre ready to step in. We anticipated the possibility of some players featuring in the MLC final, so bringing in Mitch, Jimmy, and Tim as cover gives us flexibility going into the series.”
The runners-up in the 2021 T20 World Cup, New Zealand are set to begin their Tri-Series campaign against South Africa on July 16.
For More Sports Related News: Follow RevSportz