New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and paceman Kyle Jamieson have been withdrawn from the squad to face Bangladesh in a three-match Twenty20 International series, the country’s cricket board (NZC) said on Friday.
Williamson will undergo additional knee rehab and strengthening after undergoing surgery earlier this year while Jamieson is carrying a hamstring injury.
They will be replaced by Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy with Mitchell Santner captaining the side in Williamson’s absence.
“We want both Kane and Kyle to be in the best possible place leading into the next block of test cricket against South Africa and Australia,” coach Gary Stead said in a news release.
“Based on discussions with the medical staff and the players it was decided a period of rehabilitation and conditioning was the best option for both of them.”
New Zealand give Williamson two weeks to prove World Cup fitness
New Zealand secured a one-day international series win over Bangladesh this week with a match to spare and the dead rubber will be played on Saturday.
The two sides will then meet in the opening T20I in Napier on Dec. 27 with further matches to be played in Tauranga on Dec. 29 and Dec. 31.
The T20 series is part of preparations for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States in June.
Squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Rachin Ravindra, Jacob Duffy.
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