Nagpur, Jan 20 (UNI) Northern Districts all-rounder Kristian Clarke has been called up to New Zealand’s T20 squad for the first three matches of the five-match series against India and will remain with the BLACKCAPS in India. The series begins in Nagpur on Wednesday night (Thursday 2:30 am NZT).
According to the New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Clarke earned the call-up following an impressive maiden ODI series, in which he claimed seven wickets across three matches, including dismissing Virat Kohli twice. He also contributed valuable lower-order runs and took two catches in the field.
BLACKCAPS head coach Rob Walter said Clarke’s inclusion was primarily to provide cover as the team manages its fast-bowling resources amid a busy schedule.
“We’ve got a fair bit of player movement at the moment with some guys returning from injury for this series, others joining us immediately from franchise cricket, and the rest coming off the India ODI series and Super Smash,” Walter said.
“We want to ensure we’ve got enough pace-bowling options for the first three games of this series, and it’s a great opportunity for Kristian to stay on with the group a little longer on his first tour of India.”
Walter praised Clarke’s composure during the ODI series, noting that his ability to perform under pressure stood out.
“He certainly showcased his talent in the ODI series, but what was particularly impressive was his calmness and ability to perform under pressure,” he said.
The coach also confirmed that Michael Bracewell has travelled with the T20 squad to Nagpur after suffering a minor left-calf strain while fielding in the third and final ODI in Indore on Sunday. Bracewell will be treated and monitored over the coming days before a decision is taken on his further involvement in the tour.
Meanwhile, pace bowler Adam Milne is being assessed after injuring his left hamstring while bowling for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 on Sunday.
Walter said the team arrived in Nagpur in high spirits following their historic ODI series victory in Indore.
“It was incredibly special to win the ODI series and create some history,” he said. “There were lots of special performances combined with fantastic teamwork to achieve something that hadn’t been done before.
“With a short turnaround to the T20 series, we know we’ll need to recover well and refocus quickly to be ready for the opening game on Wednesday night.”
BLACKCAPS T20 Squad v India
Mitchell Santner (c) – Northern Districts, Michael Bracewell – Wellington Firebirds, Mark Chapman – Auckland Aces, Devon Conway – Wellington Firebirds, Jacob Duffy – Otago Volts, Zak Foulkes – Canterbury, Matt Henry – Canterbury, Kyle Jamieson – Canterbury, Bevon Jacobs – Auckland Aces, Daryl Mitchell – Canterbury, James Neesham – Auckland Aces, Glenn Phillips – Otago Volts, Rachin Ravindra – Wellington Firebirds, Tim Robinson – Wellington Firebirds, Ish Sodhi – Canterbury, Kristian Clarke – Northern Districts.
