England will begin their ODI series against New Zealand with a weakened squad after left-arm seamer Mahika Gaur sustained a foot injury in training, while Alice Capsey has been ruled out of the opening match through illness.
The setback comes after regular captain Nat Sciver-Brunt had already been ruled out of the three-match series with a calf tear suffered during domestic cricket last week. In her absence, vice-captain Charlie Dean will lead England, with Maia Bouchier added to the squad as cover.
Gaur Suffers Training Injury
Gaur, 20, fractured her left foot during a fielding session with England’s coaching staff before the full squad gathered in Durham for the first ODI. The injury rules her out of the entire ODI series against New Zealand.
It is another interruption in a stop-start international career for the young quick. She missed England’s 2024 home white-ball series against Pakistan while completing her A-Levels and was later ruled out of the T20Is against New Zealand due to a side strain. That same injury also forced her out of the Hundred following an impressive debut season in 2023.
Interrupted England Journey
Gaur’s performances in 2023 earned her a first England call-up after she had previously represented UAE in 19 T20Is. She played two T20Is against Sri Lanka in August and September that year before making an immediate impact on ODI debut, taking 3 for 26 against the same opposition and earning Player-of-the-Match honours.
That remains one of only two ODI appearances she has made for England so far. Her most recent international match came in a T20I against Ireland in September 2024.
She was also part of England’s 2025 Ashes tour of Australia as an observer before featuring on the England A tour shortly afterwards.
Capsey Misses Opening ODI
Capsey is still recovering from a recent illness and will not be available for Sunday’s first ODI against New Zealand. She remains with the squad and is expected to return to selection contention after the opening match.
Pavely Called Up as Batting Cover
Warwickshire’s Charis Pavely has been added to the squad as batting cover for the first ODI. She has started the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup 2026 in outstanding form, scoring two centuries and two half-centuries in her first six matches of the season.
Pavely currently has 400 runs at an average of 100.00 and a strike rate of 113.96, making her the second-highest run-scorer in the competition. She sits just four runs behind Jodi Grewcock, who is also part of England’s ODI squad.
The series against New Zealand marks England’s first international assignment in more than six months and begins their build-up to the home T20 World Cup in June.
