New Zealand's squad for historic West Indies tour announced

West Indies are set to host New Zealand for the first time in 8 years for as many as 8 white-ball games. The last time both sides had a clash in a bilateral series was way back in 2014 which had the visitors lose the ODI series 4-0 and then bounced back to clinch the T20I series 2-1, winning the final game in a super over.

West Indies and New Zealand are set to play 3 ODI and 5 T20I games from the 16th of September to the 6th of October in Antigua. All the games on the schedule are to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and it is for the same series that New Zealand Cricket has named its squad for.

A couple of highlights from the squad are that Lea Tahuhu after a good little campaign at the Commonwealth Games will now be featuring in the touring squad to West Indies. The other is, Jess Kerr’s return from a foot injury which also with the returns of Molly Penfold and Lauren Down completes the trio missing from the recently concluded Commonwealth Games which sees Claudia Green, Rosemary Mair and Jess McFadyen making way.

New Zealand’s squad for the West Indies tour :

Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

Ben Sawyer, head coach of New Zealand said, “It’s an exciting time for the whole squad and particularly the three players making their returns. We’ve seen the success Jess (Kerr) has enjoyed on the international stage in her career to date and it’s been encouraging to see her working her way back from injury. It’s great to see Lauren return after taking some personal time away from the game.”

The selectors continue to invest in a bunch of youngsters who’d traveled to the United Kingdom for the Commonwealth Games in Izzy Gaze, Georgia Plimmer, Fran Jonas, and Eden Carson. New Zealand enjoyed a successful campaign at the Commonwealth Games where they had a podium finish clinching the Bronze medal.

The schedule for the series is attached right below.