New Zealand rest Trent Boult for final Pakistan ODI

Wellington: New Zealand Cricket on Thursday decided to rest fast bowler Trent Boult for the fifth and final match of the one-day international series against Pakistan and the first T20 against the same opposition.

Boult, who took 1/73 as the Kiwis beat Pakistan to go 4-0 up in the ODI series at Hamilton on Tuesday, will miss the final match here on Friday and the opening T20 on Monday.

Boult will then return to the T20 squad for the second and third matches of the series to be played at Auckland and Mount Maunganui, with the Black Caps keen to rotate their squad and try out different combinations in the shortest format.

Lockie Ferguson, Ross Taylor and Tim Southee are selected for the upcoming T20 series, but will all rest at various points, allowing less experienced players the opportunity to impress.

Seamers Ben Wheeler and Seth Rance will join the New Zealand side for the last ODI and will stay on for the first T20.

Mark Chapman, who is second on the New Zealand domestic T20 competition’s batting chart, was denied a spot in the squad by Tom Bruce who continues to be a part of the side.

Ish Sodhi, Glenn Phillips and Anaru Kitchen are all included for the T20 series, having not been involved in the ODIs.