Ross Taylor, the legendary captain of New Zealand, has declared his intention to rejoin the national team. He will, however, be playing for Samoa in the Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier, which will be held in Oman, rather than wearing the Black Caps jersey.
Ross Taylor confirmed the news on social media after retiring from international cricket in 2022. The cricket player said that representing his family, villages, culture, and legacy is a great honour.
“I’m happy to declare that I will be wearing the blue and playing cricket for Samoa. It’s official. More than simply playing the game I love again, this is a great honour to represent my family, communities, culture, and legacy. I can’t wait to join the team, contribute to the game, and share my experiences both on and off the pitch. #685 to the world: it’s time to get back out there! CHEEEHOOO! “🇼🇸,” Ross Taylor wrote.
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In all formats, Ross Taylor is New Zealand’s second-highest run scorer.
After serving a three-year cooling-off period since his final New Zealand appearance in April 2022, the veteran batter became eligible to play for Samoa due to his mother’s Samoan ancestry. In the meantime, Taylor has one of the most illustrious international cricket careers in New Zealand’s history.
He played in 112 Test matches, 236 ODIs, and 102 T20Is between 2006 and 2022, amassing 18,199 runs in all forms. 7683 runs in Tests, 8607 in ODIs, and 1909 in T20Is make up his total. Additionally, he was instrumental in the Black Caps’ historic victory in the first-ever World Test Championship in 2021. Despite having not played in a Twenty20 International since 2020, he is currently New Zealand’s fifth-highest run scorer in the format.
There are other seasoned players on Samoa’s 15-man team besides the 41-year-old. Sean Solia of Auckland has also been selected for the team. For Samoa, the qualifications represent the last stage of their preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Teams from Papua New Guinea, Japan, Oman, Nepal, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will be their opponents. On October 8, Samoa launches its offensive against Papua New Guinea and Oman.
Samoan T20I team
Sam French, Kurtis Hynam-Nyberg, Ben Mailata, Noah Mead, Solomon Nash, Samson Sola, Fereti Sululoto, Saumani Tiai, Ili Tugaga, Ross Taylor, Darius Visser, Sean Solia, Daniel Burgess, Douglas Finau, and Caleb Jasmat (C)
India
