Tom Latham has returned to the New Zealand T20I setup for the first time since 2023 for their home series against South Africa. The five-match series commences from March 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. 

The series against the Proteas comes just weeks after New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign where they suffered a 96-run defeat at the hands of hosts India in the final in Ahmedabad. The management, therefore, is managing player workload and giving chances to uncapped players. 

Latham has been in fine form in the domestic T20 setup over the past few months.

The left-handed batter scored 237 runs for Canterbury in the Super Smash at a strike-rate of 156.95, becoming his side’s leading run-scorer. 

"Tom's selection comes off the back of a strong Super Smash season at the top of the order for the Kings. He'll bring all his quality and experience, but as important is his leadership, which we are also likely to call on in the upcoming white-ball tour to Bangladesh in April,” selector Gavin Larsen was quoted as saying on Cricbuzz.

The New Zealand squad includes three uncapped players, namely Nick Kelly, Katene Clarke and Jayden Lennox.

The latter two are only amongst the squad for the final two T20I games. Latham will, therefore, bring in a host of experience into the squad having already represented the Kiwis in 26 T20I games before. 

It is also worth mentioning that eight members from the New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad will feature in the series against South Africa. These include skipper Mitchell Santner, Denvon Conway and Lockie Ferguson, who will play in only the first three games, while Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi will play in all five games against the Proteas.

In Santner’s absence, Latham will lead the Black Caps out in the final two T20Is which will be played in Wellington and Christchurch. 

New Zealand T20I squad vs South Africa: 

Mitchell Santner (c) (games 1-3), Katene Clarke (games 4, 5), Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk) (games 4-5), Devon Conway (wk) (games 1-3), Lockie Ferguson (games 2-3), Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Tom Latham (wk, captain for games 4,5), Jayden Lennox (games 4-5), Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi