Wellington [New Zealand], March 3 (ANI): Australia handed a debut cap to Hobart Hurricanes and Tasmania pacer Riley Meredith in the third T20I against New Zealand while spinner Adam Zampa is playing his 100th game for the country.
Meredith received his cap from national selector George Bailey after heroics in the recent edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). He became the 97th international T20 player after fellow BBL star Josh Philippe, who earned his maiden T20I cap in the series opener.
Meredith was picked up by Punjab Kings for Rs 8 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini players auction last month.
The 24-year-old had listed his base price as Rs 40 lakh heading into the auction. Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings had a bidding war for Meredith, but in the end, the pacer was picked up by Preity Zinta’s franchise.
New Zealand won the toss and decided to bowl against Australia. Visitors made only one change as Meredith replaced Daniel Sams in the playing XI.
On the other hand, New Zealand introduced batsman Mark Chapman in place of Mitchell Santner, who was ruled out of the third T20I.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand Cricket informed that Santner had a “head-cold” and “he is self-isolating as a precautionary measure while awaiting the results of a COVID test”. Pacer Adam Milne was added to the squad as cover for the spinner.
New Zealand playing XI: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mark Chapman, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
Australia playing XI: Aaron Finch (c), Josh Philippe, Matthew Wade (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Riley Meredith. (ANI)