Devine and Tahuhu announce international sign-off after T20 World Cup

Nensi Patel, Izzy Sharp, Bree Illing, Flora Devonshire and Polly Inglis will play their first T20 World Cups

ESPNcricinfo staff

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 1:39 AM (6 hrs ago)

New Zealand have included Nensi Patel and Izzy Sharp in their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in England in June-July, with Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu confirming they will join Suzie Bates in retirement after the tournament.

Bates, who will be 39 in September, announced "one final mission" earlier this month, while the impending retirements of Devine and Tahuhu, 36 and 35 respectively, were made public on Wednesday when New Zealand Cricket (NZC) named the squad that will defend their T20 World Cup crown.

The squad, led by Amelia Kerr, has ten players who were part of the title-winning combination two years ago: Kerr, Bates, Devine and Tahuhu, as well as Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair and Georgia Plimmer. It will be a first T20 World Cup for left-arm seamer Bree Illing, wicketkeeper-batter Polly Inglis, and left-arm spinner Flora Devonshire, all of whom were part of the ODI World Cup last year.

Nensi, an offspin-bowling allrounder, made her T20I debut in February this year and has six wickets from four games at an economy rate of 3.56 so far, while wicketkeeper-batter Sharp has been around for longer, having played 11 T20Is since making her debut in the format in March 2025.

"Any time you're chosen to represent your country on the world stage it's an honour, but World Cups hold an elevated level of importance and I'm certain everyone can't wait to get on the plane," Ben Sawyer, the New Zealand head coach, said in a statement.

"It's going to be an extra special time for Izzy and Nensi with it being their first World Cup. They've comfortably taken to international cricket this summer and should both have confidence heading into this next challenge."

At the same time, with the long-serving Devine, Bates and Tahuhu leaving after the tournament, it will be a changing of guard for the team.

"To have our three most senior players all finishing their careers at the same tournament is a rare and special occasion," Sawyer said. "All three have had distinguished careers in their own right and given so much to this team and the game in general.

"There'll be a time at the end of the tournament to further acknowledge and celebrate the trio and I know at present they're very focussed on performing well in their final mission with the team."

New Zealand, who have seven wins from their last eight T20Is, will take part in a three-match T20I series against England in late May before the World Cup support period begins on June 7.

"I believe we've landed on a well-balanced squad that features a mix of experience and exciting young talent," Sawyer said. "We've worked really hard over the past 12 months to develop our batting depth in particular, which we've seen bear fruit in our recent home series against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

"With the ball, our pace bowling attack are competing hard for spots in the XI, which is a great place to be from a depth perspective."

New Zealand are in Group 2 at the World Cup alongside England, Ireland, Scotland, Sri Lanka, and West Indies, and will play two warm-up matches in Loughborough on June 6 and June 9 against Bangladesh and South Africa respectively, before their first World Cup match, against West Indies in Hampshire on June 14.

New Zealand squad for the women's T20 World Cup

Amelia Kerr (capt), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze (wk), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis (wk), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Sharp (wk), Lea Tahuhu

Click here to read article