Ross Taylor to return from injury ahead of ICC World Twenty20

A side strain had ruled Taylor out of the entire ongoing series against Australia.

New Delhi: New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor, who had suffered a side strain in the home series against Pakistan last month, is set to make a return from injury in an 'Island of Origin' match next week.

This comes as a big news for the Kiwis ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in India to be held from March 8.

The side strain had ruled Taylor out of the entire ongoing series against Australia.

The right-handed batsman was recently ruled out of making a return to the New Zealand side for the second Test match against Australia starting on Saturday.

Taylor, who will captain the North Island in a Twenty20 match on February 28 against the South Island at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, stated that he expects both sides to go hard against each other.

"I'm excited to be part of the match and expect to see both sides going hard at it," Taylor said.

He also went on to add that he expects a high quality game of cricket and hopes the crowd to get behind the two sides.

"With the level of players involved it should be a high quality game of cricket and hopefully the crowd gets behind it and we see it become a regular annual fixture."

New Zealand's first match at the World Twenty20 is against hosts India in Nagpur on March 15. The group also consists of giants Pakistan and Australia. There will also be a qualifying side to fill up the last slot.

(With agency inputs)