New Zealand Team Preview T20 WC 2022: They are the perennial nice guys of modern-day cricket. New Zealand enter an ICC tournament once again with a similar perception; moreover, their performance in the lead-up to the big tournament has also been very identical. Loss to Pakistan in the home tri-series preceded by a 3-0 loss to West Indies meant that they land in Australia on the back of not-so-good performances. Guess what, they have been doing this for years. Eve of the big match, enter the nice guys and then….bang. This template has been winning them games, take 2021 for instance, among all the talk of big teams like India, Pakistan, it was the Blackcaps who had reached the final. Therefore, fans may ignore the Kiwis at their own peril as they take on Australia in the opening match. With the presence of big hitters, street-smart pacers, effective all-rounder and a veteran leader, Kiwis hopefully have what it takes to reach the finals if not win it.
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How They Fared Last Time
In 2021, they played some good cricket to reach the final where they lost to Australia. But before that, they managed to beat the mighty England in the all-important semi-final in a pressure chase.
Top Player (s) to Watch Out For
Finn Allen: Ignore Finn Allen at your own peril. The youngster doesn’t have a great average in the shortest format (26), but that strike rate which is north of 160 shows what he is made of. Fearless batting complemented with good-looking shots.
Glenn Phillips: If Allen is orthodox, then Phillips is the man who can be ugly if it takes to be so for getting the job done. Born in South Africa and migrated to New Zealand, Phillips bats at four and holds the key in the middle order.
Trent Boult: One of the finest left-arm swingers, Boult is usually effective against right-handers. He brings the ball back in sharply and can be quite effective at the death. His T20 record speaks for itself.
Also Read | T20 World Cup 2022 Preview: Dangerous Afghanistan Hope to Spring a Surprise or Two
Strongest Playing XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner
Full Squad
Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen.
New Zealand Full Schedule
- October 22, 2022 in Sydney – AUS vs NZ
- October 26, 2022 in Melbourne – NZ vs AFG
- October 29, 2022 in Sydney – NZ vs A1
- November 1, 2022 in Brisbane – ENG vs NZ
- November 4, 2022 in Adelaide – NZ vs B2
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