BLACKCAPS captain Michell Santner and seven of his ICC T20 World Cup squad have been included in an extended squad to face South Africa in the upcoming KFC T20I series, which gets underway at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga on Sunday.
The five-match series will be played as double-header game-days alongside the WHITE FERNS and South Africa women’s Life Direct T20I series - allowing Kiwi fans the chance to watch all four teams play on the same day.
With BLACKCAPS players and staff arriving home to New Zealand over the next couple of days, two squads have effectively been selected for the series to help manage workloads following Monday morning’s World Cup final's defeat to India in Ahmedabad.
Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson will join Santner in the squad for the first three games, while Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi are available the entire series after comparatively lighter workloads during the T20 World Cup campaign.
Following the series opener at Bay Oval on Sunday, the double-headers swiftly shift to Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday and onto Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, March 20.
Top order batters Katene Clarke and Nick Kelly are in line to make their T20I debuts during the series, as is Central Districts spinner Jayden Lennox, with Clarke and Lennox selected for games four and five - in Wellington on Sunday March 22 and in Christchurch on Wednesday March 25, respectively.
Clarke’s maiden BLACKCAPS call-up follows a break-out Super Smash season where the 26-year-old topped the competition run-scoring charts with 431 runs, including an unbeaten century, as his Northern Brave side claimed the T20 domestic title.
"Katene is someone we've been keeping an eye on for a while now and so it was great to see him shoot the lights out in the Super Smash and force his way into his first BLACKCAPS squad," said BLACKCAPS selector Gavin Larsen.
"He's an explosive player who possess plenty of power and a variety of shots. He’s shown destructive ability inside the power play, but also crucially the ability to bat deep in an innings too."
Lennox’s first inclusion in a BLACKCAPS T20 squad follows his successful ODI debut series against India in January where he claimed 3-84 from his 20 overs against the formidable home batting line-up.
Kelly’s been a consistent performer for the Wellington Firebirds across the formats in recent years and earns his maiden T20 call-up off the back of his ODI debut series against Pakistan at home last April.
Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson get their chance to impress after being selected for the full five-game series, with Clarkson back in the side for the first time since playing eight T20Is in 2024.
Tom Latham, who was the top run-scorer for the Canterbury Kings in the Super Smash, makes his return to the national T20 set-up as a wicket-keeper-batsman and will also take over the captaincy reigns from Santner for the final two matches.
"Tom's selection comes off the back of a strong Super Smash season at the top of the order for the Kings," Larsen said.
"He'll bring all his quality and experience, but as important is his leadership - which we are also likely to call on in the upcoming white-ball tour to Bangladesh in April."
With Conway departing after three matches, Central Stags gloveman Dane Cleaver will join the squad for the end of the series having last played for the BLACKCAPS in 2023.
Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert will miss the series to rest and freshen up after India, alongside Matt Henry who will also take some time to spend with his new baby.
BLACKCAPS T20 squad v South Africa
Mitchell Santner (c) (1-3)
Katene Clarke* (4-5)
Josh Clarkson
Dane Cleaver (wk) (4-5)
Devon Conway (wk) (1-3)
Lockie Ferguson (2-3)
Zak Foulkes
Bevon Jacobs
Kyle Jamieson
Nick Kelly*
Tom Latham (wk) (c) 4-5)
Jayden Lennox* (4-5)
Cole McConchie
Jimmy Neesham
Tim Robinson
Ben Sears
Nathan Smith
Ish Sodhi
*Potential T20I debut
Michael Bracewell (calf), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O'Rourke (back) and Blair Tickner (ankle) were not considered for the series due to injury.
In commenting on the squad, Larsen hailed the tour party returning from India.
"Firstly, I want to acknowledge and congratulate Mitch and the players, as well as Rob and the support staff, for what was a superb T20 World Cup campaign.
"Many of those returning this week have been on tour in India since early January, so for them to have been right there at the end on the brink of a world title was a monumental effort.
"There's obviously a large level of disappointment within the camp of falling just short and I think I speak for many here in New Zealand when I say we're immensely proud of this team and the cricket they've played over the past month."
Larsen said the squad for South Africa reflected the balance between looking after those returning from India and planning for the future.
"We've certainly had to be pragmatic in selecting this squad," Larsen said.
"We're lucky to have strong depth across the different skill sets which has afforded us the opportunity to rest a few players and introduce some others.
"That provides an excellent opportunity for many to stake their claim for regular inclusion in the T20 team moving forward as we begin a new World Cup cycle.
"It's been a busy couple of months for those on the road and with the South Africa series ahead, a tour to Bangladesh in April-May during the IPL and PSL windows, alongside a New Zealand A tour to Sri Lanka and followed by winter tours to Ireland, England and West Indies - keeping our players fit and fresh in the short and the long term is our top priority."
Larsen said the Proteas would provide a stern challenge to finish the BLACKCAPS home international summer.
"The show goes on as they say and it promises to be a big series against South Africa who are always strong and will be smarting from the loss in the World Cup semi-final.
"It's a great opportunity for Kiwi fans to see many of our guys back on the park so quickly after the World Cup and I know those in the squad are looking forward playing in front of their home-crowd again."
The BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS assemble in Mount Maunganui this Thursday.
TVNZ+, TVNZ 1 and Sport Nation will once again be the free-to-air host broadcasters for the series, with the Alternative Commentary Collective covering BLACKCAPS matches via their digital channels.
The next ICC Men's T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in October-November 2028.
WHITE FERNS & BLACKCAPS v South Africa – T20I Doubleheaders Schedule – 2.45pm (women) & 7.15pm (men)
1st T20Is, Bay Oval, Tauranga, Sunday, 15 March
2nd T20Is, Seddon Park, Hamilton, Tuesday, 17 March
3rd T20Is, Eden Park, Auckland, Friday, 20 March
4th T20Is, Hnry Stadium, Wellington, Sunday, 22 March
5th T20Is, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Wednesday, 25 March
