England have announced three squads for the tour of New Zealand, with an A squad selected alongside T20I and ODI squads. The headline selections from the T20I squad include Beaumont’s return having played her last T20I over two years ago. Beaumont scored a century in the 2023 Hundred and finished with the second most runs in the competition, fuelling calls for her recall.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey have been cleared for availability from the fourth match of the T20I series onwards, following the conclusion of the WPL. It was reported last week that England players remaining in the WPL until it’s end, one day before the first T20I, would not be available for the entirety of the series. Head coach, Jon Lewis, who coaches UP Warriorz in the WPL, will leave the tournament early to link up with England on March 12 for a week of preparation ahead of the tour.

Director of England Women’s cricket, Jonathan Finch said: “The short window of just one or two days between the end of the WPL and the first IT20 in New Zealand has meant we have needed to balance the challenges of long-term workload management for players, allowing participation in the WPL and ensuring we give clarity to the group of players preparing for the first three IT20s.

“As a result, we have named two IT20 squads with the WPL players being available for the fourth and fifth matches of the series. All players participating in the WPL were given our backing to remain in India for the duration of the tournament.”

Hollie Armitage and Linsey Smith have both been named in the T20I squad for the first three T20Is, prior to the WPL players joining the group. Armitage was selected for the A tour in India in November, and has yet to make her debut at senior international level. Smith has not made an international appearance since 2019, having played nine T20Is.

Mahika Gaur has been left out of both the senior and the A squad after she was part of England’s T20I tour to India last year. Freya Kemp will join the A squad as a batter to manage her continued recovery from a back injury. Kemp picked up a stress fracture in her back following England’s tour to the Caribbean in December 2022.

Kirstie Gordon will lead the A side in a three-match T20 series, while Grace Scrivens will take over the captaincy for the ODI series.

T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Hollie Armitage*, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Linsey Smith*, Amy Jones**, Sophie Ecclestone**, Nat Sciver-Brunt**, Danni Wyatt**.

* First three T20Is
* Fourth T20I onwards

ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt.

England A squad: Georgia Adams, Hannah Baker, Alice Davidson-Richards, Tash Farrant, Kirstie Gordon (T20I captain), Freya Kemp, Emma Lamb, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Sophie Munro, Grace Potts, Paige Schofield, Grace Scrivens (ODI captain), Seren Smale, Rhianna Southby, Mady Villiers.