WELLINGTON, Aug 15: Young fast bowler Adam Milne has earned a surprise recall to the New Zealand cricket squad to compete at next month’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
Milne played two Twenty20 Internationals for New Zealand against Pakistan in 2010, aged 18, but has since been unable to reclaim a national team place in any format.
Veteran left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been named in the 15-man squad announced on Wednesday, but all-rounders Tom Latham and Andy Ellis, and batsman Dean Brownlie — who played in New Zealand’s most-recent Twenty20 series against the West Indies — have missed selection.
As well as the Sept 18 to Oct 7 World Twenty20, the team will also play T20 Internationals against India in India on Sept 8 and Sept 11.
National selection manager Kim Littlejohn said the squad “has a good balance for Twenty20 cricket with explosive batsmen and a good mix of pace and spin bowlers.”
Vettori will share the spin duties with young off-spinner Roneel Hira, while Milne joins a pace contingent which includes Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell and Kyle Mills.
Squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Doug Bracewell, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Rob Nicol, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori, B.J. Watling, Kane Williamson.—AP