Wicketkeeper batsman Bernadine Bezuidenhout, who last played for New Zealand in January 2020, is in the squad for next month’s Women’s T20 World Cup. The 29-year-old Bezuidenhout is on the road to a comeback after being diagnosed with relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S), where she took a two-year hiatus to recover from her health problems. increase.
She will replace Jessica McFadyen in the team’s only personnel change from the team’s previous trip in her series at home against Bangladesh in December 2022.
Since returning this summer, Bezuidenhout has scored in the North for her century, taking her 101 off 95 pitches and currently has a domestic one-day run in her tournament on her charts. I’m putting her in third place. She has scored 133 points in 6 games this season in the domestic T20, and has a batting average of 111.76.
“For the past seven or eight months we’ve been looking to establish a brand of cricket which we believe spectators will enjoy and, at the same time, gives us the best possible chance of success in major tournaments,” Ben Sawyer, New Zealand Women’s head coach, said of Bezuidenhout’s inclusion. “With both the bat in hand and her work behind the stumps, we believe that Bernie will contribute positively to that style of play.
“Bernie has already shown this season what she can do with both bat and gloves, and we think that her previous international experience will stand her in good stead in this World Cup.”
Bezuidenhout had played for South Africa before qualifying for New Zealand in 2018.
Sophie Devine fit to play
Captain Sophie Devine, who had missed Wellington’s last three domestic T20s as a precautionary measure in response to a minor foot issue, has been declared fit to travel to South Africa for the World Cup.
The squad also features two New Zealand Under-19 players who are already in South Africa, contesting the junior women’s showpiece event – batter Georgia Plimmer and left-arm spinner Fran Jonas. Jonas withdrew from the U19 tournament earlier this week with a minor calf injury, but should be ready for the World Senior Championships, which start on February 10.
New Zealand played three pre-season matches against England on 6 and 8 February, before their first group match against Australia on 11 February, against the West Indies. We will have an official warm-up match against England. South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the other teams in New Zealand’s group.