WELLINGTON: Ben Wheeler has earned a recall on Wednesday to the New Zealand squad for the three-match T20 series against Pakistan.
Coach Mike Hesson’s named an interchangeable 13-man squad with Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, and Lockie Ferguson to all be rested at different stages.
Boult’s being rested, for Friday’s final ODI at the Basin Reserve, to be replaced by Seth Rance.
Wheeler hasn’t played since for the national side since February 2017, but selector Gavin Larsen said it was exciting to have him back in the mix after a stand-out Super Smash campaign with the Stags.
“Ben’s ability to swing the ball makes him a threatening bowler and his batting power and athleticism in the field compliments that nicely,” Larsen noted.
“It will be nice to see more of Ben and Seth while we manage the workloads of Tim and Trent.
The T20 series starts on Monday, January 22 at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
New Zealand Twenty20 squad: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Tom Bruce, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler.
Pakistan Twenty20 Squad: Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), Mohammad Amir, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali