Photo Credit: BCCI
Pace bowler Matt Henry has been called into the BLACKCAPS squad in Bangladesh as a replacement for batsman Finn Allen – who is in quarantine, recovering from Covid-19.
Allen will remain with the team and continue to be monitored by BLACKCAPS doctor Pat McHugh.
Henry was initially selected solely for the Pakistan leg of the winter programme but will now depart New Zealand on Monday August 30 to link up with the BLACKCAPS in Dhaka.
Several factors played a part in the decision to send Henry, not least vaccinations and isolation periods on arrival in Dhaka, the availability of MIQ beds upon return to New Zealand, and workload considerations for other candidates.
BLACKCAPS Head Coach Gary Stead said from Christchurch that Henry was the best man for the job.
“Matt’s clearly not a like-for-like replacement for Finn, but he expands our selection options and, in the current circumstances, is the best equipped to join the side at such short notice,” said Stead
“He’s received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccination and already has an MIQ bed allocated for his return.”
Stead said he didn’t consider players currently in the UK due to the seven-day isolation period they would face on arrival into Dhaka.
“And, in the current environment, we remain mindful of the need to carefully balance player workloads,” he said.
“We’re not prepared to risk anyone’s well-being by asking them to commit to extremely long periods away from home.”
The BLACKCAPS will play five T20s against Bangladesh – the first on Wednesday, September 1. The T20I Series will be LIVE in NZ on Spark Sport.
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
