T20 World Cup 2021: New Zealand’s strongest predicted playing XI for the tournament

Cricket fans across the globe have been patiently waiting for the ICC T20 World Cup to commence. With all the preparations around, every team would feel that they have a chance to win the T20 WC this time around. However, if there is one team that would enter the tournament as the “Dark Horses” then it would be New Zealand. The Kiwis have always been more of the silent assassins. They silently win matches without creating a fuss. However, can they win their maiden T20 WC this time? If one looks at their resources, they would give New Zealand a pretty good chance to win the tournament. They have a good mix of youngsters as well as veterans. So what would be their ideal playing XI for T20Is mega carnival? Here is New Zealand’s Predicted Playing XI for T20 WC 2021: 1. Martin Guptill Martin Guptill. (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images) The veteran has been New Zealand’s opener for more than a decade now. He also happens to be the most experienced Kiwi in the side. This might be Martin Guptill‘s last T20 WC and thus, he would want to make it a memorable one for him as well as his country. The Kiwi opener is an absolute legend in this format of the game. He has scored the most number of runs by a Kiwi player in the history of T20I cricket. Only Virat Kohli has scored more runs than him in the shortest format of the game. Guptill has scored 2939 runs in 102 T20I games. His batting average and strike rate are 32.3 and 136.82 respectively. He has managed to score 17 T20I fifties and two T20I hundreds. 2. Tim Seifert (Wicketkeeper) Tim Seifert. (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images) Tim Seifert hasn’t been given his due credit for New Zealand’s success in the shorter formats of the game. He is arguably one of the most underrated Kiwi cricketers right now. His glovework is neat as well. He has been so good that he has managed to keep someone like Colin Munro out of the team. He is a valuable asset and the Kiwis would be expecting him to come good during the ICC Tournament. With Williamson to come after him, he has the license to go big from ball one. Tim has played 35 T20I games and has scored 695 runs so far. His batting average and strike rate are 24.82 and 133. 14 respectively. He has also scored 5 T20I fifties. 3. Kane Williamson (C) Kane Williamson. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Unarguably New Zealand’s best player, Kane Williamson is all set to lead the Kiwis in yet another ICC Tournament. The Kiwi skipper is in good nick and is all set to carry his good form to the T20 WC as well. A lot is expected from him. The ever-reliable No. 3 batsman can play the dual role of an anchor as well as an aggressor in the shortest format of the game. Taking New Zealand’s batting into account, one would expect Kane Williamson’s to play the role of an anchor this time around. His captaincy skills are superb, to say the least, and his leadership is one of the main reasons why New Zealand stands a chance to win the T20 WC this time around. The Kiwi skipper has played 65 T20Is and has scored 1805 runs so far. His batting average and strike rate are 31.67 and 124.91 respectively. He has also scored as many as 13 T20I fifties. 4. Devon Conway Devon Conway. (Photo Souce: Getty Images) Cricket experts are tired of praising him now, that’s how good he has been of late. Devon Conway has become a sensation and is considered to be the next big thing in cricket. Kiwi fans would expect a lot from him during the T20 WC. The Kiwi sensation instantly made a mark and is already one of the key players for New Zealand. It is safe to call him an “X-Factor”. You know how good he is when someone like Ross Taylor can’t get into the side because of him. Conway has played just the 11 T20I matches but has already scored 473 T20I runs. His average and strike rate are 59.12 and 151.12 respectively. He already has two 90+ scores to his name. 5. Glenn Phillips Glenn Phillips. (Photo Source: Twitter) Glenn Phillips has become one of New Zealand’s key players now. Despite being a relatively new face, he has impressed one and all. Seldom would you find a player like him who can strike from ball one. His ability to score quickly makes him a real threat to any opposition he plays against. He can also don the gloves if needed. He was the player of the series in New Zealand’s last T20I series as well. The Kiwi hard hitter has played 22 T20Is and has scored 505 runs. His batting average and strike rate in this format are 28.06 and 149.41 respectively. In his short career, he already has a T20I 100 to his name. 6. James Neesham James Neesham. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images) The charismatic all-rounder is all set to be New Zealand’s finisher and bat at 6. It isn’t every day that you get a player who can hit the big shots towards the end with the bat as well as bowl well at the death. Jimmy Neesham has a unique set of skills. Taking New Zealand’s considerably long tail into account, a lot is expected from him with the bat. He has been in a reasonably good form of late as well. The Kiwi all-rounder has scored 324 runs in the 29 T20I matches he has played so far. He has a batting average and a strike rate of 21.6 and 157.28 respectively. He has also picked 23 wickets with the ball. His economy rate with the ball is 9.45. 7. Mitchell Santner Mitchell Santner. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images) Mitchell Santner is unarguably one of the best all-rounders in the shortest format of the game currently. He is an absolute gem of a player. Seldom would you a find a player who could deliver in all the three departments of the game. Need to contain runs with the ball? Call Santner. Need someone to hit the ball a long way with the bat? Call Santner. Need a reliable fielder? Contact Santner. If it is his day, the Kiwi all-rounder can win you a match all by himself. He has played 52 games and had picked 60 wickets with the ball. He has also scored 355 runs with the bat. His bowling average and strike rate are 21.45 and 17.43 respectively. His batting average and strike rate are 15.23 and 126.89 respectively. 8. Ish Sodhi Ish Sodhi. (Photo Source: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) Ish Sodhi is one of the most underrated spinners of this era. He is a genuine wicket-taker and they are often preferred in the shortest format of the game. Thus, he finds himself a spot in the playing XI for the T20 WC. He silently goes about his business and does the job for his team more often than not. Another important point to be noted is the fact that he is a leggie and having 2 leggies in the side can be an added advantage. His experience is going to be very handy for the Kiwis. Sodhi has played 57 T20I games and has picked 73 wickets. His bowling average and strike rate are 21.73 and 16.15 respectively. His economy rate is 8.07, which is more than decent for a spinner in this format. 9. Trent Boult Trent Boult. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) Is any Kiwi playing XI even complete without Trent Boult? Boult is arguably one of the best bowlers of our era and will be at his best. He is an asset for the Kiwis without a doubt. The experienced seamer is superb with the new ball and has a knack for picking early wickets. He was superb in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2020 which took place in the UAE. Thus, the Mumbai Indians (MI) pacer is accustomed to those conditions and this gives him an advantage. Boult has played 34 T20I games so far and has picked 46 wickets. His bowling average and strike rate are 23.35 and 16.41 respectively. His economy rate is 8.54. 10. Todd Astle Todd Astle of New Zealand. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images) Todd Astle isn’t among the first names you would think of while making your ideal playing XI for a WC. However, his form of late has been superb, to say the least. Besides, the conditions are going to suit him. Although New Zealand does have the option of playing an extra pacer in the form of Southee or Jamieson, they’d still turn to him. This is because the T20I WC is going to be played in UAE and the pitches over there assist spin. Playing a leggie in such conditions is always recommend by cricket pundits across the globe. Besides, the Kiwi spinner picked 4 wickets in his last T20I match. Astle has picked 7 wickets in 11 T20I matches so far. His bowling average and strike rate in this format are 11.71 and 8.57 respectively. 11. Lockie Ferguson Lockie Ferguson. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images) There isn’t too many bowlers who can bowl as fast as Lockie Ferguson right now. The Kiwi speedster has proved himself to be worthy time and again. If New Zealand is to win the WC then he would have to be at his best. Ferguson is a genuine asset as he can not only bowl at the death but can also bowl in the middle overs. Every captain dreams of having an express pace bowler who can bowl in the middle overs and pick some wickets. It takes a special talent to grab headlines after playing just the 13 T20I games. He has picked 24 wickets in these 13 games as well. His bowling average and strike rate in the shortest format of the game are 13.17 and 11.5 respectively. He has a decent economy rate of 6.87 too.

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