Williamson replaces Ryder for World T20

Kane Williamson has replaced Jesse Ryder, who has been suspended after a drinking incident, in New Zealand's World Twenty20 squad. Anton Devcich, Trent Boult and Ronnie Hira are the other additions to their limited-overs squads over a successful summer. No other changes were made to the side.

Wiliamson has played 13 Twenty20 internationals for an average of 23 and a strike rate of 118, but he wasn't part of the Twenty20 squad when New Zealand hosted West Indies. Ryder's off-field issues created a vacancy, and Williamson walked into it. Williamson's part-time spin, and his ability to play spin, played no little part in the selection.

"We've had to exclude him [Ryder] from the tour. Character is really important as part of our selection process," Bruce Edgar, the general manager of national selection, said. "As we saw when we toured Bangladesh in October, the pitches will be slow and likely to turn. Consequently we were looking for batsmen who can play spin well as well as some more spin bowling options.

"Anton gives us both top- and middle-order batting options as well as spin. He performed well on the tour to Bangladesh and the New Zealand A tour to India and Sri Lanka before that. And Ronnie is an experienced Twenty20 spin bowler. He's an excellent fieldsman, and he had a very good HRV Twenty20 with Canterbury."

Fast bowlers Adam Milne and Matt Henry were not available for selection because of injuries.

New Zealand squad Brendon McCullum (capt.), Corey Anderson, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wk), Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Anton Devcich, Trent Boult, Ronnie Hira