Former NZ captain Taylor to play for Samoa in shock comeback

Former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor is coming out of retirement to represent Samoa, the country of his mother’s birth, in a boost to the Pacific Island nation’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup.

The 41-year-old, who scored more than 18,000 runs from 450 matches for New Zealand before ending his international career in April 2022, said on Friday he was excited to be able to give back to the game.

Taylor holds a Samoan passport through his mother’s heritage and is eligible to represent a second national team at the end of the three-year cooling-off period since his last match for New Zealand.

“It’s official – I’m proud to announce that I’ll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket,” Taylor said in a social media post after being named in the Samoan squad for next month’s Asia-East Asia-Pacific qualifier in Oman.

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“This is more than just a return to the game I love — it’s the huge honour to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family.”

Taylor, who in his prime was one of the most sought-after batters in franchise cricket, said he thought his playing days were over before the chance to play for Samoa came up.

“It’s been a few months in the pipeline, but obviously the team just got announced today,” Taylor told New Zealand Cricket.

“It’s exciting to represent the country of my mother’s birth. I always wanted to give back to the Polynesian community in some sort of way.

“I always thought it would be more in coaching and other avenues. I never thought I’d play. But as the opportunity arose, getting out there and representing - it’s awesome.”

Auckland all-rounder Sean Solia is also part of the Samoa squad led by Caleb Jasmat. They will be among nine teams in the qualifying tournament in Oman chasing three spots for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.