On Tuesday, September 23, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming series against the New Zealand National Cricket Team.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) selection committee has decided to give a maiden T20I call-up to the star opening batsman Zak Crawley.
Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, and Jofra Archer to be rested for T20Is
The English team will lock horns with the New Zealand National Cricket Team in a high-profile white-ball series that precedes the Ashes 2025-26.
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Harry Brook-led side will take on the Kiwis in a three-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series. On October 18, the T20I series will kick off in Christchurch, and the second match will also be played at the same venue on October 20.
After that, the teams will travel to Auckland for the series finale on October 23. The ODI action will commence on October 26 in Mount Maunganui, and the next two 50-over games will be hosted by Hamilton on October 29 and Wellington on November 1.
ECB has named strong squads for the matches against the BlackCaps, which will give much-needed game time and rhythm to the English players before they travel to Australia for the all-important Test matches.
The star opening batsman Zak Crawley has received his maiden T20I squad call-up, but he has not been named in the ODI squad. The star pace-bowling all-rounder Sam Curran has been added to the ODI squad as well, alongside the all-rounder Liam Dawson. Meanwhile, the Lancashire pacer Luke Wood has also been named in the ODI squad after impressing in T20Is.
The team has decided to rest Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, and Jamie Smith for the T20I matches, and their place will be taken by Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, and Phil Salt.
Another player, who was in contention to make it to the white-ball squads for the New Zealand tour, was pacer Saqib Mahmood, but he missed out because of the minor knee surgery that he recently underwent.
England T20I Squad to face New Zealand:
Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.
England ODI Squad to face New Zealand:
Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood.
Notably, England recently named their squad for The Ashes, in which white-ball captain Harry Brook has been named as the new vice-captain, with Ollie Pope being demoted. Also, express pacer Mark Wood has made his comeback from injury for the Test series, while the veteran pace-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes has been snubbed.
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