Having recently won the T20 Championship, Nakri’s award-winning 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Polly Inglis has been selected in the woman’s team announced by New Zealand ahead of the ODI series against India starting from Ahmedabad come Thursday. Inglis, who garnered both the bat and the glove for Otago Sparks during the women’s super smash and new zealand A cricket July-bound with her first ever new zealand cricket central contract. “We are really looking forward to including Polly on her first tour,” Head coach Ben Sawyer said in a statement.
“She made herself known on the last Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-day competition and the New Zealand A series with England so it is a good next step for her.” In the same way, Lauren Down makes a comeback in the squad after last taking part in international cricket in July 2022.
Alongside this, Rose Marie Mair has also been rested from the squad as part of the long-term rehabilitation program following a serious back injury sustained earlier this year.
Mair and off-spinner Leigh Kasperek are the only two players left out of the squad that lifted the T20 World Cup in the UAE.
“In world cricket, touring India is one of those experiences that every cricketer looks forward to,” Sawyer said.
“Winning the series is one objective but this tour will also be a significant factor in the preparations for the ODI World Cup set to take place in India next year.” New Zealand defeated South African women and crowned as champions of Women’s ICC T20 World Cup held in Dubai by winning the match with 32 runs margin.
“It’s been an incredible 24 hours for this group of players who are now T20 World Cup winners,” explained Coach Sawyer.
“We’re enjoying the victory but once we get to India we will have to change gear and focus on the next objective.”
New Zealand Women’s ODI squad: Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Inglis (WK), Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.
