Fast bowler Trent Boult has been named as a part of the New Zealand’s cricket squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to start on June 1 in the West Indies and the United States.

The left-arm pacer, who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, will lead a four-pronged pace attack for the Black Caps with Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson.

New Zealand, who were the first team to announce their squad, will begin their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Afghanistan on June 8 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

This will be the fifth T20 World Cup for the 34-year-old Boult, who has picked up 25 wickets from 14 matches in the past four marquee events. The 2021 edition, played in Oma and the UAE, was Boult’s most successful, where he got 13 wickets from seven matches and guided New Zealand to their first final of the competition.

Boult made his T20 debut for New Zealand in 2013 and has taken 74 wickets from 57 matches for them. Out of four T20 World Cups that Boult has played, New Zealand has made it to the semi-finals thrice including their final against Australia in 2021.

Boult has been in good form in IPL 2024 picking up 10 wickets from nine matches for Rajasthan Royals. The New Zealander has been responsible for the Royals’ brilliant start with the ball as seven out of his 10 wickets have come in the powerplay, five of them in the first over of the innings.

Once again New Zealand came up with an innovative idea for announcing their World Cup squad after their 2023 ODI World Cup team announcement by the players’ relatives.

This time two kids took centre stage as they announced the names of the players who are part of the New Zealand squad for the T20 World Cup.

New Zealand T20 World Cup 2024 squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee