Despite losing to Pakistan in the tri-series final, Aotearoa's Blackcaps are nicely poised to chase another T20 World Cup final and perhaps win the whole damn thing. Before strolling deep into Blackcaps T20I mangroves a Devon Conway batting celebration is required because this lad is bonkers with his willow.

Conway finished as Aotearoa's best batter in the tri-series and he was the only kiwi to score 200+ runs. This takes Conway's T20I career record to 52.27avg/134.33sr after 28 games and Conway sits second for the highest T20I batting averages ever as of Saturday morning. Conway is one of three batters across the existence of T20I cricket (minimum 20 innings) with a batting average over 50; Mohammad Rizwan is first (52.34avg) and Virat Kohli is third (50.84avg).

Conway is also third for the highest T20 batting averages ever with 44.76avg/129.11sr. Conway is the only bloke in the world who has T20 and T20I batting averages in the top-five, meanwhile he averages 40+ in all six formats. While Conway has played less than 30 international games in those three formats, Conway averages 40+ with 120 First-Class games, 91 List-A games and 130 T20 games.

Considering how Conway dominated all formats of domestic cricket, he is merely elevating his mahi to the international level. This tri-series also featured Conway operating as wicket-keeper and Conway's work ethic that produces ample runs is evident in his wicket-keeping growth. Conway routinely slid down the leg side for spinners, executing skills that many straight up wicket-keepers would be proud of and his status as an Aotearoa cricketing hero is certified.

Now Conway seems likely to build on the Wellington Firebirds opening combination with Finn Allen. Allen opened in all five games and had a vibe of a bloke who had been told that he would be opening at the T20 World Cup. Allen hit 135 runs @ 27avg/145.16sr in the tri-series and folks need to acquaint themselves with Allen's slugging style. Allen only had one knock over 35 in the tri-series and while everyone wants big scores, any runs with Allen's strike-rates are useful in sparking up the innings.

Allen operates at 171.57sr in T20 cricket and 161.72sr in T20Is. Alongside the sultry strokes of Conway, Allen is there to slug boundaries and while this can often appear agricultural, Allen plays his role. This combo bumps Martin Guptill out of the opening slot. Guptill is a better batter than Allen and yet Guptill doesn't have the same reckless slugging prowess as Allen, taking a few deliveries before he starts to swing freely.

Guptill's experience and nous can be valuable for a T20WC . The case for his selection is the stage of this event and that Guptill was one of Aotearoa's three best batters last year in a team that made the T20WC final. Having Guptill as a squad member is fantastic though. He will cover the top-order batting slots, while Mark Chapman appears to be the most likely option to cover the rest of the batting line up.

A few years ago Chapman was thrown up as the batter who could develop into a spin bowling option. Even as conditions favoured spinners in Christchurch, commentators suggested using Chapman or Glenn Phillips to make the most of conditions. The days of Chapman bowling spin are over and this is all good considering how slick Chapman the batter is.

Blackcaps T20I Batters in 2022

Devon Conway: 339 runs @ 56.5avg/126sr
Finn Allen: 313 runs @ 26avg/150.48sr
Kane Williamson: 204 runs @ 34avg/121.42sr
Glenn Phillips: 449 runs @ 49.88avg/153.76sr
Daryl Mitchell: 265 runs @ 33.12avg/153.17sr
Jimmy Neesham: 219 runs @ 31.28avg/192sr
Martin Guptill: 232 runs @ 23.2avg/122.75sr
Mark Chapman: 142 runs @ 35.5avg/173.17sr

Daryl Mitchell didn't play in the tri-series and should be a 1st 11 starter for the T20WC. This serves as a reminder that the tri-series was a warm up for the T20WC and there were plenty of low key reminders to enjoy a fabulous week of T20I cricket while keeping the big donnie tournament in focus.

Mitchell Santner played one game, while Adam Milne and Lockie Ferguson had their workloads managed. Four players who are part of the T20WC squad barely featured in the tri-series, with Blair Tickner who is not in the T20WC squad bowling the last over of the final. Aotearoa is a world-class fielding outfit, weaponizing their fielding unit as an advantage over other teams and when there is a slight dip of intensity for such a series, this can impact intangibles such as fielding.

Michael Bracewell continues his Blackcaps ascension and it's buzzy to ponder that Bracewell was a non-factor this time last year. Given that Bracewell commanded an opportunity via Super Smash excellence, he is better suited to playing a T20I role than plugging holes in the Test line up. Bracewell's offies look fantastic as his beastly stature drives through his bowling motion, finding dip through the air and rip off the pitch. Add a few variations to Bracewell’s quiver and he has developed into a handy Blackcaps cricketer.

Don't sleep on Bracewell's batting as that is his steak and cheese pie. Bracewell was Aotearoa's best bowler in the tri-series and he has made a compelling case for 1st 11 T20WC selection. This was a weird tri-series for Blackcaps bowling though and that's evident in Tickner's usage (3w @ 9.71rpo/21sr), as well as Trent Boult (3w @ 6rpo/32sr) and Ish Sodhi (3w @ 9.6rpo/27.5sr) being Aotearoa's worst bowlers.

Boult and Sodhi are elite T20I bowlers who struggled in a T20WC warm up series. Sodhi operated without Santner for most of this tri-series and while Bracewell emulated Santner's mahi, Sodhi and Santner have been one of the most potent spin-duos in T20I cricket. Boult and Sodhi were Aotearoa's best bowlers for last year's T20WC and there is nothing in either Boult or Sodhi's recent mahi that suggests a drastic change to their Blackcaps T20I standing.

Blackcaps T20I Bowlers In 2022

Trent Boult: 4w @ 6.41rpo/36sr
Tim Southee: 11w @ 8.59rpo/17.4sr
Mitchell Santner: 14w @ 6.59rpo/18sr
Ish Sodhi: 20w @ 8.42rpo/16.6sr
Michael Bracewell: 17w @ 5.24rpo/11.2sr
Lockie Ferguson: 7w @ 6.14rpo/18.2sr
Adam Milne: 3w @ 6rpo/12sr

The emergence of Bracewell could bump Sodhi or Santner out of the 1st 11 if you're clinging to this tri-series. Aotearoa barely deployed their strongest bowling unit in the tri-series though and Bracewell's emergence is better viewed as a solid addition to a fabulous bowling unit. As Milne played six of seven games during the T20WC last year with 24 overs of bowling and Jimmy Neesham bowled 11 overs, those are the pockets where Bracewell's emergence could have the greatest impact.

Blackcaps roll through tournaments adapting to conditions and their opponents. Aotearoa rarely has the best players in major tournaments but the sum and craft of their parts helps them win games. The main takeaway from this tri-series in Christchurch is that Aotearoa is well equipped for all scenarios and the squad for this year's T20WC feels better equipped for this tournament than last year's equivalent.

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Peace and love.