Ross Taylor to Represent Samoa in T20 World Cup Qualifier

Former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor is set to play for Samoa in the Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 qualifier in Oman. His goal is to assist the team in earning a position in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Taylor was included in Samoa’s 15-man team, which is being led by Caleb Jasmat. The announcement of the squad was made on Friday.

The 41-year-old player confirmed his choice to come out of retirement via Instagram, stating his pride in playing for Samoa.

“Coming out of retirement. It’s official – I’m proud to announce that I’ll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket,” Taylor posted on Instagram.

“This is more than just a return to the sport I am passionate about – it’s a great honor to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family. I look forward to the chance to give back to the sport, support the squad, and share my knowledge both on and off the field,” he stated further.

Taylor is eligible to compete for Samoa by virtue of his Samoan passport, which he got through his mother. He became qualified after completing a three-year waiting period following his final game for New Zealand in April 2022.

The former New Zealand star retired after a remarkable international career, which featured 112 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 102 T20Is. He scored 7,683, 8,607, and 1,909 runs in each format, respectively.

Despite having last participated in the format in November 2020, he is still New Zealand’s fifth-highest run-scorer in T20Is.

Taylor is not the only seasoned player on the Samoan team. Sean Solia, 32, who has represented Auckland domestically in New Zealand, is also on the roster.

Taylor and Solia are both anticipated to improve Samoa’s batting lineup, which already features players like Darius Visser, who achieved notoriety by smashing six sixes in an over that yielded 39 runs (including three wides) against Nalin Nipiko of Vanuatu in August 2024.

Samoa advanced to the qualifiers by defeating Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, and Fiji. They will compete alongside Papua New Guinea and Japan, who represent East Asia-Pacific, as well as Oman, Nepal, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, and the UAE, at the competition.

Samoa T20I Squad:

Caleb Jasmat (capt), 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