Veteran NZ batsman Ross Taylor wishes to prolong his cricketing career till 2023 World Cup

Veteran New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has said that he is hopeful of playing the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. India will be hosting the 13th edition of the quadrennial event in October and November 2023. Meanwhile, India will be hosting cricket's showpiece event for the fourth time and the first time individually. The two-time world champions had co-hosted the World Cup with Pakistan in 1987, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996 as well as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2011 respectively.

'Another six or seven months to hang around': Ross Taylor

"2023 was going to be a stretch, I think, at the best of times, when it was (supposed to be held in) February and March. And now, the World Cup has been dragged out to October and November '23, it's another six or seven months to hang around," ESPNCricinfo quoted Taylor as saying.

"You've got to have short-term goals and long-term goals and the one-day World Cup is definitely on the radar. I might have to trim things back leading into that -- I'm not getting any younger. It doesn't mean I will make it, but, it's definitely one of my goals," he added.

The ICC Cricket World Cup was originally scheduled to be held from February 9 to March 26, 2023, but was postponed to October-November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was taken by the governing body of world cricket i.e. the  International Cricket Council (ICC) during a meeting in July 2020.

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West Indies tour of New Zealand 2020/21

Taylor will next be seen in action during the upcoming home bilateral series against West Indies that gets underway this Friday.
The Windies will be touring New Zealand for a three-match T20I series that will be followed by a two-match Test series. The first T20I will be played at Eden Park, Auckland on November 27 whereas, the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui will be hosting back-to-back games on November 29 & 30 respectively.

The first Test will be played at Seddon Park, Hamilton from December 3-7 while the second and final Test of the bilateral series will be held at Wellington's Basin Reserve from December 11-15. 

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(Image Courtesy: AP)

(With ANI Inputs)