New Zealand star Ross Taylor is ready to make a comeback to international cricket, this time representing Samoa in the upcoming Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier in Oman.
Officials named Taylor in Samoa’s squad on Friday morning, marking his return to the international stage after more than two years.
Taylor shared his excitement on Instagram, saying, “It is a huge honour for me to represent my heritage, culture, village and family.”
Taylor qualifies to play for Samoa through his mother, who hails from the island nation. Alongside his New Zealand citizenship, he also holds Samoan nationality. After his final game for New Zealand in April 2022, Taylor completed the required three-year stand-down period, which cleared him to switch allegiance.
Over 16 years with the Black Caps, Taylor scored 7,683 runs in 112 Tests, 8,607 runs in 236 ODIs and 1,909 runs in 102 T20Is, totaling 18,199 runs across all formats.