Still Got A 'Big Desire' To Play For New Zealand In This Year's Odi World Cup In India: Trent Boult

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Left-arm pace bowler Trent Boult has expressed that he has a strong desire to play for New Zealand at the Men's ODI World Cup to be held in India later in October-November year.

Boult, 33, was released from his New Zealand Cricket central contract last year after requesting for the same in order to spend time with his family and feature in various T20 leagues around the world. He last played for New Zealand in last year's Men's T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan.

"I've still got that big desire to play for New Zealand. It is what it is: I've made my decision. I've been lucky enough to have a 13-year career in the Black Cap and hey, I've still got a big desire to play in the World Cup as well. We'll see how that unfolds: there's still a bit of movement in the landscape at the moment."

"I remember after the 2019 final, I said to Kane (Williamson) that we've got to be there again, come 2023 in India. It's a shame with what's going on with his knee but he'll be working as hard as he can to try and get there. It's such a great tournament... One hundred percent, I've got that desire to be out there."

"We're a great one-day side. We've got some players that have travelled to India and experienced the conditions a lot, and that's what it comes down to in World Cups. You can't buy experience, and you can't replace players that have toured for however many years across these conditions," Boult, currently playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2023, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Apart from the ODI World Cup, Boult also revealed that he wishes to return to the Test match arena, especially with matches against Australia and South Africa coming up in New Zealand's 2023/24 summer of cricket. "There are some big Tests coming up next year: Australia and South Africa are due to travel to New Zealand. And Test cricket is still my favourite format."

"I've played nearly 80 Tests and had some pretty great times in the Black Cap, but they said that, if I chose to move away from that contract, my time in it would be limited. And I'm pretty sure they've never had anyone play Test cricket that isn't contracted - so that probably makes it hard as well," he added.