New Zealand paceman Adam Milne is hopeful of making it to this year’s T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman after a string of good performances in the inaugural edition of The Hundred.
Playing for Birmingham Phoenix in the maiden 100-ball men’s competition in England, Milne has taken seven wickets from his five games with an economy rate of only 6.14.
The 29-year-old fast bowler believes a strong showing for the Phoenix will pave the way for his consistent presence in the Kiwi T20I outfit and earn him a T20 World Cup ticket.
“It’s nice to be playing well over here, and I feel like out of all of the formats, I’ve got a really good record in T20. I know this is slightly different with the 100-ball format, but I’d obviously really like to be part of that World Cup team and there has been a little bit of communication behind the scenes back home,”
Milne was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Milne has played 23 T20Is for New Zealand with 28 wickets and an economy rate of 7.69. The pacer has also featured in 40 ODIs for his country with 41 scalps next to his name.
Injuries have held back the ever promising Milne, but it augurs well for him that he has been able to stay on the park more consistently since his stint in the Big Bash League last winter and made a comeback to the T20I side after more than two years in March against Bangladesh.
Milne said with more regular bowling in the middle in this period, he has been able to regain his lost rhythm and trust on his body.
“The hardest thing for a fast bowler is stringing a whole period of cricket together.
It’s all been short-format for me, so it’s not as taxing as longer forms, but it’s been nice to be able to play consistently and gain a bit of trust in the body and get a bit of rhythm in my bowling.
When you’re coming in and out, you’re not quite getting that rhythm, so it’s been nice to keep that going,”
Milne added.
NZ have tours to Bangladesh, Pakistan lined up ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting October 17. The Kiwis are part of Group 2 in the Super 12 stage of the competition alongside India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They will also be facing two preliminary round qualifiers in their quest to try and make the semi-finals. They have not won a T20 World Cup to date.
