New Zealand on Wednesday announced their team for a five-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan, with key players out owing to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Michael Bracewell has been named captain for the series that will take place later this month.
Bracewell, who will lead the squad for the first time, has missed time due to injuries since making his most recent international debut in March of last year, initially suffering from a ruptured Achilles and then breaking a finger.
He has returned to cricket spectacularly since his recovery, recording his highest first-class statistics with the ball in his first Plunket Shield match back.
The all-rounder will captain a team that includes seven players from past T20 World Cup teams, offset by two players, Tim Robinson of Wellington and Will O’Rourke of Canterbury, who was picked for the first time in a Black Caps T20I squad.
In February, O’Rourke had an impressive debut for the test team against South Africa, and Robinson secured his place with a barrage of runs for Wellington in the local Super Smash competition.
IPL obligations prevented top-ranked New Zealand players Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, and Kane Williamson from playing.
Tim Southee, who has led the squad in T20 wicket-taking since the last T20 World Cup, was left off the roster in order to give himself more time to recover from a demanding schedule of playing in many formats.
