"Was a little bit shocked" - New Zealand's Devon Conway on being asked to open during T20Is against West Indies
New Zealand batter Devon Conway recently stated that he was surprised with the team management asking him to open during the recently concluded three-match T20I series in the West Indies.
Speaking on SENZ Mornings, the left-handed batter mentioned that he was pleased to have done well in the new position. Conway pointed out that he has experience of playing as an opener, having done the same for the Wellington side.
The southpaw added that he enjoyed playing at the top alongside veteran opener Martin Guptil. Devon Conway stated:
"I was a little bit shocked when I got assigned to open the innings, so it was a pleasant twist (to score at the top of the innings). It's (opening the batting) a position for me that I'm familiar with playing with Wellington up the order at the top.
"It's been a really good opportunity for me to get up there alongside Guppy (Guptill) so it's been pretty exciting and very enjoyable."
Notably, Conway hadn't played international cricket since New Zealand's tour of England in June. He was able to make a significant impact in what was his comeback series against the West Indies.
With 106 runs from three games, Conway finished as the second-highest run-getter in the T20 series between New Zealand and the West Indies.
It is worth mentioning that the batter opened the innings for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during this year's Indian Premier League (IPL 2022). He showcased tremendous form during the season, mustering 252 runs in seven games at a fantastic average of 42.00.
"Would have liked to have sort of contributed more" - Devon Conway on his performances against West Indies
Conway stated that while he is quite pleased with how he fared in the T20I series, he wants to convert his starts into big knocks in the future. He highlighted how he has made good starts in games in the past but couldn’t make the most of them.
The Black Caps would go on to secure a stunning 2-1 series win over the Men in Maroon. Devon Conway stated that Kane Williamson and Co. are really happy with the victory and added:
"I'm pretty happy with how things have gone. I would have liked to have sort of contributed more, especially in those knocks where I got starts. I got a couple of 40s, 20s (and) it would've been nice to have kicked on and got a big one, but at the end of the day, we still won the series, so (we're) very happy in the camp altogether as a unit."
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New Zealand and the West Indies are scheduled to lock horns in a three-match ODI series. The opening encounter is set to be played in Bridgetown on Wednesday, August 17.