Top-order batsman Kane Williamson has been handed the New Zealand captaincy for the Twenty20 and one-day internationals against Pakistan, with regular skipper Brendon McCullum returning home to rest.

McCullum and pace bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult will leave the tour party in the United Arab Emirates to give them extra time to prepare for the coming domestic series against Sri Lanka.

The Blacks Caps play two Twenty20 matches against Pakistan, the first on Friday, before the teams meet in five one-dayers.

National selection general manager Bruce Edgar says the decision concerning McCullum, Southee and Boult was based on their workload.

Edgar pointed out the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka would begin less than a week after the ODI squad returned.

“Managing players’ workloads will be an important part of our summer’s plans and this is simply an example of that,” Edgar said.

It would also give selectors the chance to evaluate other players in contention for the World Cup and allow the Black Caps to work on contingency plans, such as developing Williamson’s captaincy experience.

Williamson, 24, has led New Zealand in three ODIs and two T20s, the last against the West Indies in July.

Other features of the 15-strong squad are the return of the previously injured Ross Taylor, who came back for the Test series against Pakistan, and the addition of fast bowler Adam Milne and batting allrounder Anton Devcich.

NZ T20 and one-day squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Corey Anderson, Dean Brownlie, Anton Devcich, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori.