Vettori available for World Twenty20

Daniel Vettori has declared he will come out of Twenty20 international retirement and has made himself available for the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka later this year. Vettori has not played a T20 international in more than two years and retired from the format in March 2011, although he continued to play T20 domestically at home and overseas.

At the time, Vettori said he was taking a break from one-day internationals but might return, although he said he had definitely played his last T20 international. His change of heart has come with the World T20 only three months away, and one of the major attractions is that it will be played in spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka.

"Dan was the number one ranked Twenty20 bowler in 2009 and is widely regarded as one of the best Twenty20 exponents in world cricket," David White, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive said. "His availability is a real boost for the Black Caps with his style of bowling well suited to conditions in Sri Lanka."

Vettori has played 28 T20 internationals, the last of which came against Sri Lanka in Florida in May 2010. He has competed in all three ICC World T20 tournaments so far, and is seventh on the all-time wicket tally in World T20s, with Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal the only spinners to have taken more wickets than his 18 at 16.05

"Twenty20 is a format Dan enjoys and the opportunity to be part of a team which competes at a world event is enticing for him," Kim Littlejohn, the NZC national selection manager said. "He has been encouraged by his team-mates, coaching staff and others at NZC and we are thrilled to have him in the mix. He will offer a lot to the side."

New Zealand's preliminary squad for the World T20 will be named on July 18. The tournament begins on September 18 and New Zealand have been drawn in a group with Pakistan and Bangladesh.