WELLINGTON: Martin Guptill’s chances of playing a fourth 50-over World Cup have dimmed, with the opener dropped from New Zealand’s white-ball squad to play India.

The 36-year-old batsman was a member of the Black Caps’ recent T20 World Cup squad in Australia but did not play a game as selectors opted for rising star Finn Allen to open with Devon Conway.

“The emergence and success of Finn at the top of the order in white-ball cricket means a guy of the class of Martin Guptill misses out that’s just the nature of high-performance sport,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said on Tuesday.

“With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away we’re keen to give Finn every opportunity to keep gaining ODI experience, especially against quality opposition such as India.”

New Zealand host fellow T20 World Cup semi-finalists India in three T20s starting in Wellington on Friday.

The teams then play three ODI matches from Nov. 25.

Pace spearhead Trent Boult has been omitted from the white-ball squad a few months after being released from his national contract.

Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner and Adam Milne fill the pace bowling ranks.

“When Trent opted out of his NZC contract in August, we indicated that priority would be given to those players with either central or domestic contracts, and that’s been the case here,” Stead said.

Fast bowlers Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson were not considered for selection due to back injuries.

New Zealand were runners-up to England at the 50-over World Cup in 2019.

India host the next one in October-November in 2023.

Squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2022