New Delhi, September 5 (HS): Former New Zealand captain and veteran batter Ross Taylor has announced his return to international cricket—this time donning the colors of Samoa. Taylor will represent Samoa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia–East Asia Pacific Qualifier, which serves as the nation’s final pathway to next year’s T20 World Cup.

Samoa will begin their qualifying campaign on October 8 in Oman, where they are set to face hosts Oman and Papua New Guinea.

Making the announcement on social media, Taylor wrote: “It’s official—I’ll be wearing the blue jersey to represent Samoa. This is not just a return to the game I love, but also a chance to honor my heritage, culture, villages, and family. I always imagined contributing to Samoa in a coaching or mentoring capacity, never as a player. But when this opportunity came, I decided to embrace it. Now, my sole focus is on getting fit quickly and giving my best for the team.”

Taylor, whose mother hails from Samoa, became eligible after completing the mandatory three-year stand-down period since his last international appearance for New Zealand in April 2022.

The 41-year-old enjoyed a glittering career with New Zealand, amassing 18,199 runs across 450 international matches—including 7,683 in Tests, 8,607 in ODIs, and 1,909 in T20Is. He was also part of the historic New Zealand side that lifted the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in June 2021.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar