The England Cricket Board has named two T20I squads for the England Women’s tour of New Zealand in 2024.
England Women’s squad for New Zealand T20Is
England women’s cricket has a busy schedule in March as they play in the Women’s Premier League 2024 until March 17 and their New Zealand tour starts on March 19.
So, the England board has named two squads for the tour, with the players participating in the Women’s Premier League set to play in the last two matches of the series.
Hollie Armitage and Linsey Smith will be part of the T20I squad for the first three matches while Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Danielle Wyatt who plays in WPL will join the T20I squad for the final matches.
Heather Knight has withdrawn from the WPL to prepare for the New Zealand series and will lead the side on the short and limited-overs format. The England head coach and coach of UP Warriorz Jonathan Lewis will join the national side on March 12.
England T20I squad for first three matches
Hollie Armitage, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Heather Knight (c), Linsey Smith.
England squad for last two T20I matches
Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danielle Wyatt.
The director of England Women’s Cricket Jonathan Finch said, “The short window of just one or two days between the end of the WPL and the first IT20 in New Zealand has meant we have needed to balance the challenges of long-term workload management for players, allowing participation in the WPL and ensuring we give clarity to the group of players preparing for the first three IT20s.
“As a result, we have named two IT20 squads with the WPL players being available for the fourth and fifth matches of the series. All players participating in the WPL were given our backing to remain in India for the duration of the tournament.”
“Lauren Bell and Heather Knight have withdrawn from the WPL to ensure they can be available for all IT20 games in New Zealand.
“They withdrew once they learned that the WPL regulations don’t allow for replacements mid-tournament, not wanting their respective WPL teams to be disadvantaged by their early departure,” said Finch.
“England Women’s head coach Jon Lewis will leave the WPL early to lead the squad preparations in New Zealand.”
The head coach Jon Lewis said, “This tour is another important step in our build-up to the IT20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year. We’re delighted to bring in Hollie Armitage and Linsey Smith to the IT20 group.”
“I have been really impressed with Hollie across the course of last summer, especially over The Hundred which I think is a really good indicator of how she might play at the next level.”
“On the England A tour to India in November, I thought she was a standout performer in terms of the role she can play in the England side.
“Linsey has been performing for a long period of time at a high level and gives us a high quality left-arm spin option. With Sophie Ecclestone unavailable for the first three IT20 matches, Linsey is, in my opinion, the second best left-arm spinner in the country in T20 format.”
“She has recently been to the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and Super Smash in New Zealand where she has enhanced her skills and played a lot of cricket.
“Both selections give us an opportunity to test our depth and develop a wider playing group capable of delivering on the international stage across a very congested and demanding schedule in 2024/25,” said Lewis.
“Over the years New Zealand has always been a strong opponent and we look forward to the challenge of adapting to new conditions and playing entertaining cricket. We are looking to build on the successes we had in 2023 and help in growing the women’s game in New Zealand and at home,” he concluded.
New Zealand Women and England Women will be playing their first T20I match on March 19 at University Oval.
