Rachel Priest dropped from the NZ squad for the series against Pakistan

The wicketkeeper-batsman Rachel Priest has been dropped from the New Zealand women’s squad for the series against Pakistan in UAE. The black caps are scheduled to play 3 ODIs and four T20Is against the women in green. This is the first time Pakistan would be hosting New Zealand in a bilateral series. Priest has been dropped due to fitness issues and the spinner Erin Bermingham has also missed out on the spot citing same reason.

Sam Curtis, who has played 19 ODIs and six T20Is, has been called up for the series that starts on October 31. Katey Martin will be taking up the wicketkeeping duties in the absence of Rachel Priest. The ODI series will kick-start New Zealand and Pakistan’s qualification process for the 2021 World Cup. Both the teams were crashed out of the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup in the first round itself.

White Ferns set their sights on T20 World Cup next year

Rachel Priest has been a constant in the New Zealand side since making her ODI debut in 2007. She represented her country in every game during the World Cup this year but could muster only 125 runs and struggled throughout. The coach of the team Haidee Tiffen believed that Priest needs to improve her fitness in order to be consistent at the international level. New Zealand Cricket, on its website, said Priest will stay back in New Zealand and prepare for their home summer.

“We’ve been clear with Rachel about the areas we want to see her improve in. She’s taken the feedback on board and is committed to putting the work in. We believe Rachel still has a lot to offer the White Ferns. It’s a position we’re aware needs work and so it’s great to be able to give Katey this opportunity. She obviously does the job for the Otago Sparks and has kept wickets for us in the past, but we’re keen to see her behind the stumps for a full tour across different formats,” Tiffen said.

“We can’t wait to get back out on the park and play some cricket,” she said. “This is the start of some important games for the WHITE FERNS as we look to prepare for next year’s T20 WC in the Caribbean. The One Day series also signals the start of the ICC Women’s Championship as we begin qualifying for the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021, which is being hosted here in New Zealand. Pakistan will present a unique challenge in their own conditions and it’s going to be a new and exciting experience for many in our squad,” she added. All the matches of the series will be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Squad: Suzie Bates (c), Sam Curtis, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Thamsyn Newton, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu

Schedule:

1st ODI – 31 October

2nd ODI – 2 November

3rd ODI – 5 November

1st T20I – 8 November

2nd T20I – 9 November

3rd T20I – 12 November

4th T20I – 14 November