England absentees named in ECB Development XI to face Pakistan

The two sides will contest a T20 match at Leicester on May 9 ahead of the three-match T20I series between England and Pakistan, which will begin on May 11

Elizabeth Botcherby | 08/05/2024 at 11:25

Sophia Dunkley and Issy Wong have been named in an ECB Development XI to face Pakistan in a T20 match at Leicester on May 9.

The match will serve as a warm-up fixture for Pakistan ahead of their three-match T20I series against England, which will begin on May 11.

Both Dunkley and Wong are absent from England's senior squad for the upcoming white-ball series, with head coach Jon Lewis encouraging both players to rediscover their best form with regional sides South East Stars and Central Sparks.

"When [Sophia] is playing her best cricket, she's one of our best cricketers. She's a little bit out of rhythm, so we've decided to give her space to go and find the rhythm of batting and get back to [her] best. I think her talent is incredible," Lewis said.

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^{Hollie Armitage, who made her international debut in March, will captain the side [Paul Harding/Getty Images]}

"My view on Issy is she needs a period of time playing consistently and performing consistently to earn the right to come back into the England team."

Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith and Danni Wyatt, all of whom have been named in the squad to face Pakistan, will feature in the warm-up fixture while Hollie Armitage, who made her international debut against New Zealand in March, will captain the side.

The rest of the XI is made up of players from the regional circuit, with Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers), Grace Potts (Central Sparks), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), and Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), who dropped off the central contract list in November 2022, also included.

England Women head of performance pathways, Richard Bedbrook, said: "The ECB Development XI match opportunities provide us with real flexibility in an approach to selection.

"On this occasion, this T20 fixture is the only one of the summer against an international opposition outside of the various England Women bilateral series' and therefore providing opportunities to a particularly strong playing XI is important as we continue to build with the bigger picture of the T20 World Cup in mind."

ECB Development XI to face Pakistan: Hollie Armitage (c), Georgia Adams, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Grace Potts, Bryony Smith, Linsey Smith, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt

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