New Zealand at T20 World Cup: A look Blackcaps squad's strengths, weaknesses and key players to watch out

Always the bridesmaid has become a defining metaphor for New Zealand’s recent experience of white ball cricket finals.

Runners-up in the last two 50-over World Cups in 2015 and ‘19 and in last year’s Twenty20 World Cup, New Zealand has been part of the big occasion but ultimately not the center of attention.

This time, New Zealand will take one of its best-ever squads to a T20 World Cup. It has strength in all areas, experience and the memory of those recent near misses to fuel its drive.

This is a golden era for New Zealand cricket. It won the first World Test Championship in June of last year to go with that collection of finals appearances in the limited-overs formats.

New Zealand opens with a rematch of the 2021 final against defending champion Australia on Oct. 22 in Sydney.

STRENGTHS

To use a baseball metaphor, New Zealand seems to have all bases covered. Few teams will come to the tournament with a more balanced squad. New Zealand has batting solidity from Devon Conway and Kane Williamson, hard-hitters in Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, outstanding pace bowling from Trent Boult and Tim Southee along with the express pace of Lockie Ferguson and top-class white ball spinners in Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner. It has the all round talents of Santner, Neesham, Mitchell and recent discovery Michael Bracewell. It also is one of the world’s best fielding teams and has finals experience: only three players who took part in the 2021 World Cup final are not returning.

WEAKNESSES

The glib observation would be that New Zealand’s weakness is winning white ball finals. They’re good at getting to the finals, not good at winning them. New Zealand has no obvious weakness of personnel or balance but can be accused of inconsistency and a tendency to play to the level of its opposition. In a tough group alongside England, Australia and Afghanistan the Black Caps can’t afford an off day. Injuries to players such as Daryl Mitchell and Lockie Ferguson are a current concern. Captain Kane Williamson also has recently been below his best form but posted a half-century in the narrow loss to Pakistan in Friday's tri-series final at Christchurch.

KEY PLAYERS

Conway is the reliable anchor of the New Zealand batting order. He can open and bat through an innings as he recently did for 70 against Bangladesh in the New Zealand Tri-Series.

Conway’s mastery of all formats has been influential in New Zealand’s recent successes in test and white ball cricket.

He comes into his own in T20 cricket in which he averages 50.87 at a strike rate of 136. His 814 runs in T20 internationals include 456 from boundaries. He also can keep wicket and is a brilliant outfielder.

Phillips is one of the most formidable weapons in New Zealand’s battery of hard-hitters. Coming in at the top of the order, he has the ability to swing matches and disrupt bowling plans with his fast scoring.

Mitchell and Neesham have similar abilities lower in the order but Phillips’ ability is to set the pace of the innings early on. He has maintained a strike rate of 142.35 through 46 T20 internationals in which he has scored a century and five half centuries and has hit 75 sixes.

Leg-spinner Sodhi adds a key component to New Zealand’s varied bowling attack as an aggressive spin option. He has an element of fearlessness in his nature which makes him particularly effective. He’s unafraid to flight the ball, even against aggressive batting, and he can find turn on most surfaces. Spinners often are called on to play a containing role in T20 cricket but Sodhi offers a clear wicket-taking ability with 101 wickets already to his credit in 78 T20 internationals.

Squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen.