In a blow to New Zealand’s explosive top order, 22-year-old opener Georgia Plimmer has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing three-match T20I Series against Zimbabwe due to a shoulder injury sustained during training while throwing.
The young batter, who lit up Seddon Park in the series opener, will undergo scans and testing on Monday, with her availability for the subsequent ODI series (February 25 to March 11, 2026) to be decided thereafter. Bella James has been called up as cover and will join the squad on Saturday ahead of the third T20I.
Georgia Plimmer’s absence comes at a poignant moment after her starring role at the top of the order in New Zealand’s dominant 92-run victory in the first T20I on February 25 at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Opening alongside Isabella Gaze, the right-hander smashed a brisk 32 off just 20 balls, including six boundaries, to propel the White Ferns to their highest T20I total at home, 202/1 in 20 overs. That knock also marked a personal milestone, as Plimmer became the latest Kiwi to complete 1,000 international runs.
Across 44 T20I matches and 37 innings, Plimmer has amassed 525 runs at a strike rate of 102.33 and an average of 16.40, featuring two half-centuries that underline her growing prowess as a clean-hitting opener.
Her departure tests New Zealand skipper Amelia Kerr’s resources as they host Zimbabwe, led by Nomvelo Sibanda, in this landmark white-ball tour, the first-ever between the two nations.
As the second T20I unfolds today (February 27) at Seddon Park, Kerr’s side holds a 1-0 lead and will look to seal the series. With James stepping in, the White Ferns’ depth faces an early examination, but their batting firepower remains a threat in this historic clash.
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