The legendary batter from New Zealand, Ross Taylor, has come out of his international retirement as he is all set to feature for Samoa in the T20 World Cup qualifiers.
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In a shocking decision, the 41-year-old batter announced his decision to take to the field once again to help his mother's native country, Samoa, qualify for the T20 World Cup, set to be held in India and Sri Lanka next year.
Ross Taylor comes out of retirement to play for Samoa
Taylor announced his international retirement four years ago at 37. He has had an illustrious and celebrated career with the Blackcaps side, where he played in 450 international games across formats and made 112 Test appearances.
"It's official– I'm proud to announce that I'll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket. This is more than just a return to the game I love; it's the huge honour to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family. I'm excited for the opportunity to give back to the game, join the squad, and share my experience on and off the field," Taylor said on social media.
The batter last featured in International cricket for New Zealand back in 2022 and became eligible to play for any other nation in April this year, after serving the mandatory waiting period.
Taylor will feature in the World Cup Asia-Pacific qualifying Event, which will include teams such as Oman and Papua New Guinea in their group.
When is the 2026 Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup qualifier?
The T20 World Cup qualifier is a long qualifying event organized by the ICC worldwide on a regional basis. Top teams from each region qualify for the main event.
Samoa will feature in the Asia-Pacific qualifiers, which is set to take place starting on October 8 this year. The tournament will feature a total of nine Asian teams, who will go head-to-head to seal a spot in the World Cup next year.
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The nine teams will be divided into three groups of three teams each, and the top two from each group will make it to the Super Six. The top three teams after the Super Six stage will eventually qualify for the big World event.
The ICC Men's T20 World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka at the start of next year. The marquee event will feature 20 teams fighting for ultimate glory.
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