2024 Women's T20 World Cup: New Zealand Women's Team squad, Probable XI & Top 3 players to check out

The ninth edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup will kickstart on the 3rd of October on the grounds of the UAE. New Zealand, a.k.a. The Black Ferns, have recently released their playing arsenal for the vast tournament. Sophie Devine, the experienced Black Ferns player, was chosen to lead the squad for the ninth women's T20 World Cup, making this her last outing as a captain in this tournament setup.

Being a two-time runner-up of the tournament, the team is eager to take up their robust opponents from the tournament's Group A and would look to clinch their first-ever Women's T20 WC title. Here's a list of the top three players to check out from the Kiwi squad. 

Announced Women's New Zealand 2024 T20 World Cup Full Squad: 

Sophie Devine (Captain), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.

New Zealand's Probable XI:

1. Georgie Plimmer
2. Suzie Bates
3. Amelia Kerr
4. Sophie Devine (Captain)
5. Brooke Halliday 
6. Izzy Gaze (Wicketkeeper)
7. Maddy Green
8. Lee Tahuhu
9. Eden Carson
10. Fran Jonas
11. Molly Penfold

Also Read: ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024: ICC announces record prize money

Top-3 player to check out from New Zealand in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup:

Sophie Devine

Sophie Devine will be captaining the Kiwi side for the upcoming 2024 Women's T20 World Cup edition, and this will be her last tournament as a captain. Sophie has progressed from a swashbuckling batter to one of the game's top all-rounders since her debut for New Zealand in 2006. She has achieved success with both bat and ball, dominating in T20Is.

Devine's expertise across formats and strong leadership qualities have earned her a spot on the squad for all nine events. Finally, her talents and expertise will be relevant to the position. Devine has made a colossal 3268 runs and scalped a massive count of 117 wickets in her WT20I career.  

Suzie Bates

Suzie Bates is known as the reliable batter for the Black Ferns' side, and it's not a surprise that she happens to be the highest run scorer across the WT20I format. As it implies, the batter has played a pivotal role in making crucial runs for the squad. As the captain, Bates happens to be the second and only player to be a part of all the nine Women's T20 WC tournaments.

Her batting experience in various daunting conditions has made her an instrumental batter for the upcoming tournament amongst a robust group comprising India, Australia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In her T20I stint, she made 4348 runs in a well-known stint of 162 matches, with an average of over 30. Also, she has scored a commendable 28 half-centuries and one century. 

Amelia Kerr

Amelia Kerr deserves to be on the list, thanks to her recent performance records and all-rounding ability. Considering the UAE condition, Kerr will bolster the spinner's attack amid the spin-favourable conditions and deceive the batters with variations. Also, her batting will help cement the strength of the team's middle-order run scorers.

Not to forget, Kerr made her international debut in 2016 and became the youngest player to make a double-century in international cricket at the age of seventeen. Overall, Kerr's versatility makes her a valuable asset to the team. In her all-rounding T20I stint, she has made a crucial 1108 runs and scalped a humongous 73 wickets in just 76 matches.