PAK vs NZ: Tim Southee Set For First Full-time Assignment As New Zealand Announce Test Squad For Pakistan Tour

On Thursday, December 15, New Zealand announced a 15-player squad for the upcoming  Pakistan tour and veteran pacer Tim Southee is all set for his first assignment as the full-time Test captain.

Ace batter Kane Williamson has stepped down as Test captain after six years in charge, but he will continue as ODI and T20I captain. Southee has been appointed as the new Test captain of the side and Tom Latham will be his deputy in the purest format of the game.

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The New Zealand tour of Pakistan 2022-23 is set to begin on December 26. The BlackCaps and the Men In Green are all set to play a two-match Test series and a three-match ODI series. The first Test will be played in Karachi from December 26 to 30 and the second will be played in Multan from January 3 to 7. The three ODI matches will be played on January 10, 12 and 14 in Karachi. This will be New Zealand’s first tour of Pakistan since 2003.

The senior leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who last played Test cricket in 2018 against Pakistan, uncapped pacer Blair Tickner, and wicketkeeper-batter Glenn Phillips have been included in the squad for the Pakistan tour.

New Zealand will be without the services of Trent Boult and Kyle Jamieson on the Pakistan tour. Boult, who doesn’t have an NZC contract, has made himself unavailable and Jamieson has not yet recovered from his back injury.

We’re Looking Forward To Getting Into Our Work For The Tour – Gary Stead

“It’s going to be a new experience and the kind of challenge that excites this group. We’ve naturally been keeping an eye on the current Test series against England, particularly the last two Tests of the series held in Multan and Karachi, where we will play.

“This series will be the first for Tim Southee as Test captain and together we’re both looking forward to getting into our work for the tour.”

Gary Stead further talked about the inclusion of Ish Sodhi, Glenn Phillips and Blair Tickner in the squad for the Pakistan tour.

“I know all three of the guys [Sodhi, Phillips, Tickner] have a real passion for the longest form of the game and are looking forward to getting into their red-ball work at the pre-tour camp in Lincoln this week,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. 

“Ish has been playing international cricket for almost a decade now and we’re backing his skills and experience. Looking at the current conditions and style of play in the Pakistan and England Test series, we feel having a wrist-spinner in the team will be important.

“Glenn is clearly a very talented batsman and we’re excited to introduce him back into the Test squad for this tour. His ability to bowl offspin is also a plus point with the prospect of turning pitches.”

“Blair’s been with the group for our past two-Test series and we believe he’s very much ready for Test cricket. He has genuine pace and gets good bounce which is a real asset to have in sub-continental conditions.”

New Zealand Test Squad For Pakistan Tour:

Tim Southee (c), Michael Bracewell, Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

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