New Zealand vs England T20Is: Kane Williamson set to miss series

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will be missing the T20I series against England due to a hip injury. Tim Southee was named as captain in his absence. Pacer Trent Boult has also been omitted for the first three of five T20Is, in order to focus on his Test preparations. Although Williamson played in the Plunket Shield this week for Northern Districts, after discussions with coach Gary Stead it was decided that resting him was the best option.

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New Zealand vs England T20Is: Tim Southee to lead the side 

Tim Southee had earlier led New Zealand to a 2-1 victory in the T20Is against Sri Lanka after Kane Williamson was rested from that leg of the tour. Apart from Northern Districts' game against Canterbury, in which he batted once and scored 26, Kane Williamson has not played since the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August.

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New Zealand vs England T20Is: Gary Stead on Kane Williamson injury

Speaking on Williamson's injury, coach Gardy Stead said that the team has been monitoring the injury for a while now and it's the same issue that ruled him out of the final Test against Bangladesh back in March. He also said that It's disappointing timing for Kane Williamson at the start of an exciting Kiwi summer, but they feel it's the right decision with a busy season ahead.

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Lockie Ferguson, who is due to make his return from a thumb injury, has been named in the T20I squad for the first three games, with Boult returning to take his place for the fourth and fifth. The rest of the squad is similar to that which took on Sri Lanka. Allrounder Jimmy Neesham returns, along with pace bowler Blair Tickner, who has been capped once previously in T20Is, while Todd Astle, Tom Bruce and Seth Rance missed out.

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