Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine will not be part of New Zealand’s opening T20I against England, which gets underway in Dunedin on March 19.
Kerr, fresh off winning the Debbie Hockley Medal at the New Zealand Cricket awards, was part of the Mumbai Indians side that went down to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the WPL eliminator on Friday night. But “travel complications from India mean Kerr won’t return to New Zealand in time to feature in the opening T20I,” NZC said in a statement.
Devine, the New Zealand white-ball captain, has been a regular starter for RCB, who will take on Delhi Capitals in the WPL final. While NZC has confirmed Kerr’s availability for the second T20I in Nelson on March 22, it also expects Devine to be available with the duo set to leave India immediately after the WPL final on Sunday.
New Zealand have called up batter Georgia Plimmer into the squad as a replacement and a second player from the New Zealand A squad will also be selected following their second game against England A later in the day in Queenstown. With Devine and Kerr unavailable, Suzie Bates will lead New Zealand in the opening T20I.
“It’s obviously disappointing not to have Melie [Kerr] or Sophie with us for the series opener,” New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer said. “We’ve known that this could be the case for some time now, so we’ve made plans for all scenarios and the positive is that it gives other players an opportunity to test themselves against a strong England side.”
Sawyer also threw his weight behind 20-year-old Plimmer, who has so far played 12 ODIs and 21 T20Is. “Georgia has been a regular part of our group for some time now and she’ll be involved in the ODIs – so we have full confidence she can come in and contribute in the opening T20I,” he said.
England also have four players unavailable for the first three (of five) T20Is because of their WPL commitments. Alice Capsey (Delhi Capitals), Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz), Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) and Danni Wyatt (Warriorz) will only link up with the squad ahead of the fourth T20I. Kate Cross (RCB) has been named only for the ODI series while Issy Wong (Mumbai Indians) did not find a place in either squad.
Lauren Bell (Warriorz) and Heather Knight (RCB) had earlier pulled out of their WPL deals to make themselves available for the entire New Zealand white-ball series since the ECB had told the players involved in the WPL that staying in India until the tournament is complete would mean non-selection for the first three T20Is in New Zealand.
New Zealand squad for first T20I vs England
Suzie Bates (capt), Eden Carson, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wk), Izzy Gaze (wk), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
*One player to be added