Otautahi – Black Caps batsman Martin Guptill has been selected for a record seventh T20 cricket World Cup.
Wellington’s Finn Allen and Michael Bracewell have also been named for their first World Cups and are the only new faces from the side that made the final of last year’s event in the UAE.
Paceman Adam Milne has retained his place in the squad, after the 30-year-old was called in to replace injured Lockie Ferguson early in the tournament last October.
Devon Conway has been named as the frontline wicketkeeper after wearing the gloves in the UAE and the recent series against West Indies.
The Black Caps will first contest the T20 tri series with Pakistan and Bangladesh starting in Christchurch on October 7.
With seven matches across eight days at Hagley Oval, the series will provide fans their last chance to see the team before they depart for the World Cup in Australia on October 15.
Stead says the tri series should provide plenty of quality preparation for the World Cup.
The Black Caps open their T20 World Cup campaign against Australia at the SCG on October 22, before facing Afghanistan at the MCG, England at the Gabba and two qualifiers at the SCG and Adelaide Oval.
The Black Caps squad for T20 World Cup and tri series is:
Kane Williamson (c)
Finn Allen
Trent Boult
Michael Bracewell
Mark Chapman
Devon Conway (wk)
Lockie Ferguson
Martin Guptill
Adam Milne
Daryl Mitchell
Jimmy Neesham
Glenn Phillips
Mitchell Santner
Ish Sodhi
Tim Southee
Guptill’s selection for sees him join Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Mohammad Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim as players who have been in seven World Cups while Shakib Al-Hasan and Rohit Sharma are set for their eighth events.
Nathan McCullum and Ross Taylor are the only other New Zealanders to have appeared at six T20 World Cups.
