Trent Boult Commits to New Zealand for ICC World Cup

Trent Boult Commits to New Zealand for ICC World Cup

New Zealand’s quest for glory in the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has received a significant boost as Trent Boult, the talented fast bowler, has reaffirmed his commitment to the team, even though he hasn’t agreed to a central playing contract.

In a mutually agreed compromise between Boult and New Zealand Cricket, he has been offered a casual playing agreement, while 20 of his international teammates have been granted full-time contracts.

This arrangement comes after Boult and New Zealand reached a central contract release agreement in August of the previous year, which allowed the 33-year-old cricketer to participate in various domestic leagues worldwide and spend more quality time with his family.

Despite the contract release, both parties have expressed their openness to Boult representing the national team, and his return to the World Cup setup seems highly likely.

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Meanwhile, fellow fast-bowler Adam Milne is poised to accept his first central contract in five years after an exceptional performance in international cricket.

Milne showcased his skills in 11 T20Is and five ODIs over the past year, securing an impressive tally of 24 wickets, including a notable five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in a T20I held in Dunedin last April.

As part of the contract reshuffle, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, and Blair Tickner have all been retained after initially joining as mid-year contracted players.

They have replaced Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, and Martin Guptill, all of whom have been granted releases.

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However, left-arm orthodox spinner Ajaz Patel, who was previously on the contracted list, has not been offered a central contract this time around.

The newly announced 2023-24 central contract list includes the following players: Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, and Will Young.

This development is poised to provide New Zealand with a strong and balanced squad as they gear up for the highly anticipated Cricket World Cup in 2023.

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