Devon Conway Career, Records, Biography & More
Devon Philip Conway (born 8 July 1991) is a South African–born New Zealand cricketer who plays for the New Zealand cricket team. In March 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Conway would be eligible to play for New Zealand from 28 August 2020. In May 2020, New Zealand Cricket awarded him a central contract, ahead of the 2020–21 season.
Conway made his international debut for New Zealand in November 2020. In June 2021, in his first Test match, Conway became the second batter for New Zealand after Mathew Sinclair, and seventh overall, to score a double century on his Test debut. During the same month, Conway was also a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final, and had a key contribution scoring 54 runs in the first innings. He was named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2021 and in April 2022, Conway was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
Domestic and T20 Franchise Career
Conway began playing in South African cricket. In August 2015, he was included in Gauteng's squad for the 2015 Africa T20 Cup. He played in all three games for Gauteng, scoring 53 runs. In August 2017, aged 26, he moved to New Zealand to pursue a cricket career.
In June 2018, he landed a contract with Wellington for the 2018–19 season in New Zealand. In the second round of the 2018–19 Plunket Shield season, Conway hit an undefeated double century against Otago at the Basin Reserve. He was the leading run scorer in the 2018-19 Super Smash with 363 runs in nine games. He was also the leading run scorer in the 2018–19 Plunket Shield season with 659 runs in seven games.
In March 2019 he was named Men's International of the Year at the annual New Zealand Cricket Awards. In October 2019, in the 2019–20 Plunket Shield season, Conway had an unbeaten 327 for Wellington against Canterbury. It was the ninth triple century in first-class cricket in New Zealand. He scored 393 runs in the match, the most runs scored in a single first-class match in New Zealand. On January 6, 2020, Conway achieved a 49-ball unbeaten century in the 2019–20 Super Smash tournament. He was the tournament's leading run scorer with 543 runs in 11 games. He was also the leading run scorer in the 2019–20 Ford Trophy with 553 runs in ten games and the leading run scorer in the 2019–20 Plunket Shield season with 701 runs in six games.
Devon Conway Somerset In April 2020, Conway was named New Zealand Cricket's Homegrown Men's Player of the Year at their annual awards ceremony. The following month he was signed by Somerset County Cricket Club to play at T20 Blast 2021 in England.
Devon Conway IPL In February 2022, he was bought by the Chennai Super Kings at auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League Tournament.He made sevens in 2022 and scored 252 runs at an average of 42 and was part of an opening wicket stand of 182 runs with Ruturaj Gaikwad against Sunrisers Hyderabad, setting a new Chennai record. In the 2023 IPL season, CSK would go on to win the title, beating the Gujarat Titans in the final, where Conway played a pivotal knock of 47(25) in the chase and was declared the player of the match. He ended the 2023 IPL season with the third most runs at 672, with a strike rate of 139.7.
In June 2023, Texas Super Kings added Conway to the roster for the inaugural season of Major League Cricket.
International Career
In November 2020, Conway was called up to the New Zealand senior cricket team for practice matches against the Touring West Indies team. Later that month he was called up to New Zealand's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for the series against the West Indies. He made his T20I debut for New Zealand on November 27, 2020 against the West Indies. In December 2020, Conway was added to the New Zealand Test squad, covering for BJ Watling who sustained a hamstring injury.
Conway Cricket In March 2021, Conway was called up to the One Day International (ODI) New Zealand squad for his series against Bangladesh. He made his ODI debut for New Zealand on March 20, 2021 against Bangladesh. On 26 March 2021, Conway scored his first century in ODI cricket in the third game of the series against Bangladesh.
In April 2021, Conway was called up to the New Zealand Test squad for their series against England and for the final of the 2019–21 ICC Test World Cup. Conway made his Test debut for New Zealand against England on 2 June 2021. In the match, Conway became the 12th batsman for New Zealand to score a century on his Test debut and the first visiting batsman after Sourav Ganguly to score a century on Lord's on Test debut. Conway's score of 200 was the highest score by a men's Test debutant in England. At the age of 29 years and 329 days, Conway also became the oldest batsman to hit a double century in his Test debut.
In August 2021, Conway NZ was named to the New Zealand squad for the 2021 ICC T20 Men's World Championship. However, Conway was left out of New Zealand's squad for the final of the tournament after breaking his hand in the semi-final match against England.
In December 2022, during the 1st Test against Pakistan, Conway scored 92 runs, and became the fastest New Zealand batter to complete 1000 runs in Tests in 19 innings.
Personal Life
In April 2022, Conway married his long-time girlfriend Kim Watson in South Africa.