New Zealand Names Blended T20 Squad vs South Africa

New Zealand has named a blended squad for its upcoming five-match Twenty20 international series against South Africa, with veteran batter Tom Latham returning to the format after a two-year absence and set to share captaincy duties with Mitchell Santner. The series begins on March 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and will continue in Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

The announcement comes shortly after New Zealand's 96-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad, prompting a focus on player workload management and opportunities for emerging talent. Santner, who led the Black Caps in the tournament, will captain the first three matches, while Latham takes over for the final two. Latham, a wicketkeeper-batter, last played a T20I in April 2023 but earned his recall through strong domestic performances. He topped the run-scoring charts for Canterbury in the recent Super Smash competition with 237 runs at a strike rate of 156.95.

"Toms selection comes off the back of a strong Super Smash season at the top of the order for the Kings," selector Gavin Larsen said. "Hell bring all his quality and experience, but as important is his leadership, which we...