25-year-old Central Districts fast bowler Blair Tickner is all set to make his international debut and the occasion cannot get any bigger as New Zealand face India in the series-deciding final T20I at Hamilton on Sunday.
Tickner is expected to come straight into the playing XI in place of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, whom he has replaced in the New Zealand squad for the final T20I.
Life has been on a fast-track on mode for Tickner for the last three-four years. The right-arm seamer returned to Napier as late as 2015 after spending a lot of time in Gold Coast Australia to try his luck in his quest to become a professional cricketer. Tickner made an instant impact as a white-ball cricketer for Central Districts, becoming one of their ace weapons in the next season.
Consistency in the domestic T20s and one-day competitions earned Tickner a place in the New Zealand A side. He, in fact, made his list A debut against Pakistan in 2016.
His breakthrough performance, however, came this season. With 15 wickets in 8 games, he emerged as one of the best fast bowlers in New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition and in came a call-up in T20I squad against India.
"I'm pretty excited and really glad with the way things have gone over the years," Tickner told New Zealand Herald
While he is exceedingly happy to make his international debut in the third T20I against India at Hamilton, Tickner does not want to restrict himself to a particular format. "As long as I'm there or thereabouts, in all three formats, I'll be happy. You're in front of the selectors all the time and you're playing for your country so there's nothing better than putting your name out there. It is always a privilege," added the fast bowler.
New Squad for 3rd T20I vs India: Kane Williamson (capt), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, James Neesham, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner.