T20 World Cup: New Zealand announce squad; ICC rejects Bangladesh’s venue change request

WEB DESK: New Zealand have announced their squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, with all-rounder Mitchell Santner named as captain. The tournament is set to begin on February 7 and will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Fast bowler Jacob Duffy has earned his maiden call-up to the T20 World Cup squad following consistent performances, while Kyle Jamieson has been named as a fast-bowling reserve. The squad features a strong mix of experience and firepower.

The World Cup squad includes Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and Daryl Mitchell. Also included are Adam Milne, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert and Ish Sodhi.

ICC TURNS DOWN BANGLADESH’S REQUEST TO SHIFT MATCHES FROM INDIA

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council has rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift its T20 World Cup matches away from India. According to Indian media reports, the ICC declined the appeal and maintained that the fixtures would remain unchanged.

Bangladesh sought a venue change after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was reportedly expelled from the Indian Premier League (IPL) following threats from extremist Hindu groups, raising security concerns.

Reports claimed the ICC warned Bangladesh that refusing to travel to India could result in a loss of points. However, Bangladesh Cricket has denied receiving any such ultimatum. Bangladesh Cricket Board director Asif Akbar said on Tuesday that the team would never go to India to play the World Cup, underlining the growing uncertainty surrounding Bangladesh’s participation at Indian venues.