Mitchell Santner gets appointed as New Zealand's new white-ball captain [Source: @sjcricinfo/X.com]
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has officially named Mitchell Santner as the new captain of the white-ball team. The 32-year-old all-rounder will succeed Kane Williamson, who stepped down from the role following the T20 World Cup in June.
Santner, a seasoned campaigner with 24 T20I and 4 ODI captaincy experiences, will lead the team in their upcoming series against Sri Lanka. His tenure will also include the prestigious Champions Trophy in February 2025.
Santner To Steer New Zealand's ODI And T20 Success
As the Black Caps look to build towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, Mitchell Santner will be at the helm, guiding the team to future success. Santner's first assignment as full-time captain will be the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting in late December.
The series will be followed by a busy schedule for the Black Caps, including the ODI Tri-Series in Pakistan, the ICC Champions Trophy, and a home series against Pakistan.
"It's obviously a huge honour and a privilege to be asked. When you're a young kid the dream was always to play for New Zealand but to have the opportunity to officially lead my country in two formats is special," said Santner after being appointed the captain.
Santner's White Ball Stats So Far
In his ODI career, Santner has taken 108 wickets and scored 1,370 runs. He has a batting strike rate of 90.91 and maintains an economy rate of 4.86 in ODIs. His T20I career is also impressive. He has claimed 117 wickets in 106 matches with an economy rate of 7.02. Notably, he has also scored 710 runs in T20Is at a strike rate of 119.93.
With his experience and leadership qualities, Santner is expected to guide the New Zealand team to success in the coming years. His appointment marks a new era for New Zealand cricket, as the team looks to build on its recent successes.