Ross Taylor To Come Out Of Retirement Aiming To Play T20 World Cup 2026, But Not For New Zealand
Photo : ICC
Ross Taylor is one of the greatest players to ever play for New Zealand. The right-handed batter is the second-highest run scorer in th country’s history, with 18199 runs across all three formats. He announced his retirement back in 2022, with his last match for the Kiwis against Netherlands in an ODI in Hamilton. Three years after his retirement, he is set to be back in international cricket, hoping to play the T20 World Cup 2026. However, he would not be playing for New Zealand, but a different nation altogether.
Ross Taylor has announced that he will be playing for Samoa in the Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 qualifier in Oman. He is part of the 15-man squad that will be led by Caleb Jasmat.
Taylor holds a Samoan passport as his mother of Samoan heritage. He is eligible to play for the country, as he has successfully competed a three-year cooling-off period that is required to play for a second international team.
‘More Than Just A Return’
“It’s official – I’m proud to announce that I’ll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket. This is more than just a return to the game I love – it’s the huge honour to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family. I’m excited for the opportunity to give back to the game, join the squad, and share my experience on and off the field,” Taylor wrote in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
The 41-year-old batter expressed his excitement to play for the country where his mother hails from. He also revealed that the process for him to play for Samoa had been ongoing for a few months.
“I’m excited. It’s been a few months in the pipeline, but obviously the team just got announced today, so I had to make it exciting to represent the country of my mother’s birth. I always thought it would be more in coaching and other avenues. I never thought I’d play, but as the opportunity arose, yeah, looking forward to getting out there and hopefully representing and doing my best for Samoa,”” Taylor said as quoted by Cricbuzz.