NZ great confirms international return for country of mum's birth

New Zealand cricket great Ross Taylor will come out of retirement to play for Samoa at a T20 World Cup qualifying tournament in Oman next month.

Taylor retired from international cricket in 2022 after playing more matches for New Zealand than any other player – 112 Tests, 236 one-day internationals and 102 T20 internationals.

He remains second behind Kane Williamson on New Zealand's all-time Test scoring list with 7683 runs and second, also behind Williamson, with 19 Test centuries.

"It's official – I'm proud to announce that I'll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket," Taylor said in a social media post.

"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."

Taylor's mother, Lote, was born in Samoa. Taylor will play under his given names and chiefly title as Leaupepe Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor.

The 41-year-old answered the call of his friend, former Black Cap Tarun Nethula, to join Samoa at the combined Asia and East-Asia Pacific qualifying tournament.

Samoa will face off against regional rival Papua New Guinea, as well as Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar and the UAE with three spots at next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka up for grabs.

"It's quite a powerful thing when players are asking you to come out of retirement and help them," Taylor said.

"It's been a few months in the pipeline, but obviously the team just got announced today.

"It's exciting to represent the country of my mother's birth. I always wanted to give back to the Polynesian community in some sort of way.

"I'm no spring chicken but I'm sure I'm still fit enough to run around the boundary."

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