The New Zealand Women’s team have named a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. The teams will play five matches of T20Is at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui starting from Sunday, March 15. This is the second T20I where Amelia Kerr will head the New Zealand team as captain. The series marks the return of players Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu.
Devine was not available for the Zimbabwe series, while Bates was sidelined after sustaining a quadricep injury. Meanwhile, Tahuhu, who announced her retirement from the ODIs was not part of the series due to her physical concerns with a major tournament like the Women’s T20 World Cup upcoming in June. She will be part of only the last three T20I matches.
Head coach Ben Sawyer is excited to have the three players return to the squad for the South Africa series bringing tons of experience.
He said, “We’re really excited to welcome back Suzie and Sophie for this next block of games. Their quality on the field really does speak for itself but what they bring to the group culturally is really important for us as a team. I’m looking forward to having them mix in with some of the newer members of the squad.”
The squad also includes the return of their opener Georgia Plimmer who was recovering from a shoulder injury in the Zimbabwe T20Is and had missed the subsequent ODIs. She along with Bates are the opening pair for the squad.
Meanwhile, all-rounder Flora Devonshire with her T20I debut last year will also make her return. She and Brooke Halliday are the only two left-handed batters in the squad. Halliday had scored her maiden international century in the Zimbabwe series and was part of New Zealand’s ODI World Cup squad. Devonshire will, however, play only the last three T20Is. Bree Illing and Polly Inglis will only play in the first two matches for the team.
New Zealand T20I squad of South Africa series
Amelia Kerr (C), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire (last three T20Is), Isabella Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing (first two T20Is), Polly Inglis (first two T20Is), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Sharp, Lea Tahuhu (last three T20Is)
