New Zealand Women squad announced for series against South Africa
Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu have returned to New Zealand’s T20I squad for the five-match series at home against South Africa. New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer said in a NZC release, “We’re really excited to welcome back Suzie and Sophie for this next block of games. Their quality on the field really does speak for itself but what they bring to the group culturally is really important for us as a team. I’m looking forward to having them mix in with some of the newer members of the squad.”
New Zealand T20I squad vs South Africa
Amelia Kerr (capt), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire (last three T20Is only), Isabella Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing (first two T20Is only), Polly Inglis (first two T20Is only), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Sharp, Lea Tahuhu (last three T20Is only)
Gary Kirsten appointed as the new head coach of Sri Lanka men’s team
Sri Lanka Cricket appointed Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the men’s national team. His two-year tenure will start on April 15 with the aim of bringing stability to the side. The appointment comes after the team’s exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Gary Kirsten’s coaching career has been marked by significant successes on the international stage. He played a pivotal role in guiding India to their triumph at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. During his tenure with South Africa, Kirsten was instrumental in elevating the national team to the top of the Test rankings. Recently Kirsten served Namibia cricket team as a consultant during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
White-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka likely to be postponed due to West Asia conflicts
The white-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka is likely to be postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The series comprised of six white-ball matches s scheduled to be held in the UAE from March 13 to 25. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, both boards are still discussing the matter with the bilateral series is unlikely to be shifted elsewhere due to logistical problems.
Last week, six matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal, featuring Oman, UAE, and the host nation Nepal, were postponed due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Additionally, the travel plans of several teams who were in India and Sri Lanka for the men’s T20 World Cup have been significantly disrupted due to restrictions in airspaces in West Asia.
