Kane Williamson and Nathan Smith have been named in New Zealand’s 14-player squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, as announced by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on October 19.
Williamson is set to play his first international match since the Champions Trophy final against India in Dubai. After opting for a casual contract with NZC, he had made himself unavailable over the past few months. The former New Zealand captain was in the United Kingdom, playing for Middlesex and London Spirit.
Having spent the past month recovering from a minor medical issue, Williamson was not in contention for the ongoing T20I series against England.
Smith, meanwhile, has recovered from an abdominal injury sustained during the second Test against Zimbabwe in August.
Speaking about the return of Williamson and Smith, New Zealand coach Rob Walter said:
“Kane and Nathan have had to work hard to overcome their respective injuries and illness. We all know what Kane means to New Zealand – to have his skill, experience and leadership back in the group is fantastic. Nathan is still relatively new to his international career, but he has impressed with his all-round skills and ability in the field.”
The series against England will be Walter’s first assignment with the ODI squad since taking over as head coach.
“The ODI side has been very successful for a long period, as the current ICC ranking of number two suggests. We have an experienced core of players and, as a team, are very clear on how we want to play,” he said.
“This is very much the start of our journey to the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2027, and I know the group are excited to get going in this series against a quality England side.”
New Zealand ODI squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
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