James, who lost the Sri Lanka series due to a quadriceps strain and has not yet made its debut in T20I, spent its physical conditioning tests on Monday and will travel with the team to Auckland on Wednesday.
“We are excited to have Soph, Melie and Lea for this series,” said Ben Sawyer, New Zealand chief coach. “There are three key players who contribute a great experience and leadership to the group.”
Wicktkeeper-Bater’s gaze could not recover from the hip factor sprain that kept her out of the T20I series against Sri Lanka. English, his replacement, made his debut Odi and T20i and played the six games against Sri Lanka, but hit only once in the three T20i.
Emma McLeod, Izzy Sharp, Flora Devonshire and Bree Illing are the players who are giving way to the returns of Devine, Amelia and Tahuhu. The T20i series of three games will be played from March 21 to 26 in Auckland, Mount Maunganui and Wellington.
New Zealand squad: Suzie Bates (Capt), Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Ingis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu.
