Four years after bidding farewell to international cricket, Ross Taylor is picking up the bat again. The New Zealand great has confirmed he will represent Samoa, his mother’s homeland, in the Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier in Oman this October, with one eye firmly on next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
15 out of the 20 teams for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have been confirmed so far. The remaining five teams will be joining from the Asia–EAP Regional Qualifiers and the Africa Qualifiers. Samoa, alongside eight other teams, is also part of the qualifiers. Other teams include Nepal, Oman and the UAE.
How can Ross Taylor represent Samoa?
Taylor, now 41, last played for the Black Caps in April 2022. Under ICC rules, players must serve a three-year stand-down period before switching allegiance from a Full Member to an Associate nation. With that window now complete, and holding a Samoan passport through his maternal heritage, Taylor is eligible to don Samoa’s colours for the first time.
For Taylor, this is more than a formality. “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,” he said on his Instagram. “I always thought I’d contribute to Samoan cricket through coaching or gear donations. But being able to play again is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Samoa are on the brink of a historic moment. Having shocked stronger sides like Vanuatu and Fiji in sub-regional qualifying, they have earned a spot in the nine-team Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier. With three T20 World Cup berths on the line, the presence of a player with more than 18,000 international runs and a World Test Championship medal could prove huge.
Samoa squad for Men’s T20 World Cup Asia–EAP Regional Final
Caleb Jasmat (c), Ross Taylor, Darius Visser, Sean Solia, Daniel Burgess, Douglas Finau, Sam French, Kurtis Hynam-Nyberg, Ben Mailata, Noah Mead, Solomon Nash, Samson Sola, Fereti Sululoto, Saumani Tiai, Ili Tugaga.
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