Veteran New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has been dropped for the Twenty20 series against Pakistan, while star fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has fallen to a lower back injury that threatens his short term future.
Captain Kane Williamson and front-line bowler Trent Boult have been recalled, after they were rested for last month's series against West Indies.
Taylor's omission is the result of spectacular middle-order form from Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips, says selector Gavin Larsen.
"This was, as you'd imagine, a very tough decision, as Ross has been a consistent performer for us," Larsen says. "But unfortunately we just couldn't find room in the squad for him, due to the quality and form of the other batsmen."
Taylor went scoreless in two T20 appearances against the Windies, run out without scoring in the first and not required to face a ball in the second.
But he won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as New Zealand's cricket player of the year last season, when he became the first man to play 100 international matches in T20, one-day and test formats.
Taylor, 36, has targeted retirement after next year's T20 World Cup in India, but this omission sends a warning that his days in the shortest form may be numbered.
Williamson's inclusion for the second and third match only depends on the birth of his first child, which saw him withdraw from the current second test against West Indies in Wellington.
Mitchell Santner will captain the side for the first match on December 18 in Auckland, with Williamson potentially returning for the other two games on December 20 in Hamilton and December 22 in Napier.
Pace bowlers Ferguson and Hamish Bennett have also both been ruled out of the series with injuries, ensuring a first call-up for Jacob Duffy.
Scans revealed that Ferguson has a stress fracture in his back, while Bennett was ruled out with an abdominal tear.
Ferguson tore West Indies apart in their T20 opener at Auckland, taking 5/21 and named Player of the Series.
"The injury to Lockie is obviously a concern, considering what he brings to our bowling attack and we're awaiting more information around his rehabilitation," says Larsen.
None of the players currently involved in the second test in Wellington will be available for the first Twenty20 game.
New Zealand Twenty20 squads
First match - Mitchell Santner (captain), Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner
Second & Third Matches - Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee
Reuters/Newshub
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