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After a convincing 46 runs win in the first T20I against Pakistan at the Eden Park in Auckland, the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand will take on the visitors in the second match at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, 14th January. However, ahead of the second T20I, the hosts have been handed a blow.
Josh Clarkson will no longer be part of the T20I squad ahead of the third T20I after he sustained a shoulder injury. The batting all-rounder sustained a shoulder injury while playing for the Central Stags in the Super Smash. The BlackCaps took to social media to confirm this development with the caption reading, “Josh Clarkson will no longer join the BLACKCAPS squad ahead of the third match of the KFC T20 Series against Pakistan after being ruled out with a shoulder injury.”
It is to be noted that Clarkson was set to replace Williamson for the third T20I as the skipper continues to rehab from his knee injury. Notably, Williamson is not scheduled to travel to Dunedin for the third T20I but will join the side ahead of the final two matches of the series in Christchurch.
Will Young named Clarkson’s replacement
New Zealand Cricket has however named Will Young as Josh Clarkson’s replacement. “Young will join the squad after tomorrow’s match at Hamilton’s Seddon Park,” the official statement of the BlackCaps read.
Speaking of Young, the 32-year-old cricketer has played 97 T20s overall, having scored 2290 runs at an average of 26.62. In 14 T20Is, he has amassed only 260 runs at 20.00 with two fifties. He is coming into the national side after recently smashing a half-century and a hundred for Central Districts in the Super Smash in Napier.