New Zealand adds speedster Ben Sears as travelling reserve for T20 WC

New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): New Zealand has added Ben Sears as a travelling reserve to boost their fast bowling stocks for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Sears will join up with the Black Caps before

the 20-over showcase in India and Sri Lanka that commences on February 7, following the injury to fellow quick Adam Milne last week, as per the ICC website. Sears will join the squad before New Zealand’s warm-up fixture against the USA on February 5, with the Black Caps’ opening match at the T20 World Cup against Afghanistan on February 8. Milne’s withdrawal saw Kyle Jamieson join the main squad of 15, with Sears added to the playing group as a travelling reserve for the upcoming tournament. Sears has been in good form for Wellington in New Zealand’s domestic Super Smash competition, and Black Caps coach Rob Walter said the right-armer was well deserving of a call-up. “Ben’s worked hard to get himself back on the park, and it’s been great to see him back playing and performing well,” Walter said. “He’s had a full Super Smash campaign with the Firebirds, where he was the competition’s joint second-top wicket-taker from the round-robin stage with 15 wickets from his nine games,” he added. “It will be great to have Ben with us here in India and ready to make an impact at the World Cup should someone get injured,” he concluded. New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi. Reserve: Ben Sears. (ANI)