Eden Carson returns after elbow surgery in New Zealand's first squad since the retirements of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu, with Bella James, Molly Penfold and Hannah Rowe recalled for the three T20Is against Australia at North Sydney Oval from 18 October.
New Zealand have named the first White Ferns squad of the post-legends era, and Eden Carson is back in it. The offspinner returns after elbow surgery that has kept her sidelined since last December, headlining a 15-player group for the three-match T20I series against Australia that begins at North Sydney Oval on 18 October.
- Melie Kerr (captain)
- Eden Carson
- Flora Devonshire
- Maddy Green
- Brooke Halliday
- Bree Illing
- Polly Inglis (wicketkeeper)
- Bella James
- Jess Kerr
- Rosemary Mair
- Nensi Patel
- Molly Penfold
- Georgia Plimmer
- Hannah Rowe
- Izzy Sharp
Carson said: "To be back in the White Ferns environment is really special. The rehab process has taken a lot of patience, but I've been fortunate to have great support around me and I'm feeling ready to get back out there and contribute."
| Ins and outs | |
|---|---|
| Back | Eden Carson (elbow surgery, sidelined since last December) |
| Recalled (batting) | Bella James (one T20I, in March 2025) |
| Recalled (pace) | Molly Penfold (11 T20Is since 2022); Hannah Rowe (24 wickets in 47 T20Is, last played in September 2024) |
| Retired | Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu (after the T20 World Cup in July) |
| Unavailable | Izzy Gaze (thumb surgery, targeting a return in early 2027); Polly Inglis takes the gloves |
| Interim head coach | Dean Brownlie, following Ben Sawyer's exit |
| Series | Three T20Is vs Australia, all at North Sydney Oval, from 18 October |
James, Penfold and Rowe are the recalled names. James, a wicketkeeper-batter with only one T20I to her name, strengthens the batting in the wake of Bates' retirement, while Penfold and Rowe refill the pace stocks that Tahuhu's retirement thinned out. Rowe has 24 wickets from 47 T20Is but has not played the format since September 2024; Penfold last featured in the series against Zimbabwe in March. Both were part of the New Zealand A side that toured Sri Lanka in May.
The changing of the guard
This is the first squad named since Devine, Bates and Tahuhu all bowed out at the end of the T20 World Cup in England in July, and the changing of the guard extends to the dugout. Dean Brownlie, New Zealand's batting coach for close to four years, is interim head coach for the tour after Ben Sawyer's exit, with Sawyer's contract not renewed following a New Zealand Cricket review of the women's high-performance structure. Brownlie said: "There's a balance of experience and future-focus in this squad and it's going to be a chance for the group to test themselves against a quality side. Competing against the best in the world is always going to be a challenge, but it also provides a lot of opportunities to learn and strengthen skillsets within that."
The squad flies to Australia on 12 October, with a warm-up against a Governor General's XI on 15 October before the series opener on the 18th. It is New Zealand's first international assignment of the 2026-27 season and doubles as early preparation for the inaugural 2027 Women's Champion Trophy in India. Eleven of the fifteen were part of the June T20 World Cup squad.
Build your own new-era side
Squads are where new eras begin: Devine, Bates and Tahuhu walked off in July, and now Carson, Penfold and Rowe get their shot at the world champions. In BuildXI you spin eleven real IPL squads from 2008 to 2025, take one player from each, and play a full season with the side you end up with. The target is 14-0: fourteen league games, fourteen wins.