Southee to lead New Zealand as Williamson will skip third T20I against India

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed today that skipper Kane Williamson will miss the third and final T20I against India, which is scheduled to be played on Tuesday in Napier, and pacer Tim Southee will lead the side in his absence.

On the other hand, Williamson will be back in time to lead the side in the three-match ODI series, which begins on Friday. According to an official statement, "Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson will miss the third T20I in Napier on Tuesday to attend a pre-arranged medical appointment."

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"Auckland Aces batsman Mark Chapman will join the T20 squad in Napier today," it added.

Williamson will re-join the Blackcaps on Wednesday when the ODI squad gathers in Auckland ahead of the series opener against the West Indies at Eden Park on Friday.

According to coach Gary Stead, the medical appointment had nothing to do with Williamson's historic elbow complaint.

"Kane's been trying to get this booked in for a while now, but unfortunately, it hasn't been able to fit into our schedule. The health and well-being of our players and staff is paramount, and we look forward to seeing him in Auckland," he said.

Stead stated that Chapman was thrilled to be back with the team after competing in the recent T20 World Cup and Tri-Series in Christchurch.

"He's a quality player who offers good versatility in the order," said Stead.

Stead has confirmed that Tim Southee will captain the team in Tuesday's third and final match at McLean Park.

After winning the second T20I by 65 runs, India now leads the three-match T20I series 1-0.