New Zealand might be a small nation, but it never fails to mark its presence in the world, whether it’s sports or other endeavours. With a population of just 5.1 million, they tend to produce great talents who can help them reach knockout stages at almost every tournament in cricket.
In the upcoming tour to India, a couple of new names have been added to the squad of the Kiwis, Benjamin Lister and Henry Shipley. Both of these guys will be featuring in the T20I series, the reason being, senior players are trying to focus on the One Day Internationals as it is a World Cup year. But Henry Shipley is also there in the ODI squad in the absence of Tim Southee and Kane Williamson.
What can these guys offer to Kiwis?
Left-arm fast bowler Ben Lister is likely to make his T20 series debut against the team captained by Hardik Pandya. Trent Boult, Mohammad Amir, and many more left-arm seamers from other cricket-playing countries have all had success in upsetting the Indian batting order in the past. Let’s see if he can do the same or not.
Henderson, Auckland, is where the 27-year-old was born. Although the fight to make it to the squad may not be as fierce as it is in India, but one must be tough to succeed at this level, and Ben is one of them. He has played in 40 T20 matches and has a total of 41 wickets with an 8.2 economy. He has participated in 41 List A games in ODIs and has taken 49 wickets, including one six-wicket haul. We’ll just have to wait and watch whether he can get the Indian batsmen to dance off his bowling, because if not, he’ll struggle against the likes Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Hardik Pandya.
Another newcomer, Henry Shipley, is a right-arm fast bowler who can also bat. Shipley had made his international debut for New Zealand against Pakistan in an ODI, but he wasn’t successful in bowling in the right areas.
Now that Tim Southee has been rested, he might get a chance again in the 50-over format to prove himself. Additionally, he is yet to play in a T20I match but will most likely appear in the forthcoming T20I series.
Shipley was born in Darfield, Canterbury, and is one year younger than Ben. He has featured in 39 List-A games, taken 37 wickets, and has an economy rate of 5.27. In 33 games of T20s, he has taken 29 wickets, including one four-wicket haul. Will he be able to impress the management against India and seal a spot for himself in the World Cup 2023 squad?
In all three game formats, New Zealand have consistently posed a challenge to the Indian team. This tour will undoubtedly be thrilling, and the presence of a few young players from both sides will add to the excitement. India will obviously have the advantage due to the favourable home conditions and the present form of Virat Kohli and other batters, but if any team can defeat India it’s the Kiwis.
