Young talents Mahika Gaur and Bess Heath earn maiden England call-ups for white-ball series against Sri Lanka

Mahika Gaur, a left-arm fast bowler without experience, and Bess Heath, a wicketkeeper-batter, have received their first calls to the England squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

Mahika is an English cricket player who was raised in Reading, England. She has played 19 T20 Internationals for the senior team in addition to representing UAE in this year’s ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. She played a significant role in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches earlier this year and was a part of Thunder’s domestic team’s progress to the Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day.

Mahika played for England A versus Australia A most recently, but she also made her debut for Manchester Originals in the 2023 edition of The Hundred.

Bess, on the other hand, has spent the previous 14 months in the England A setup and was a member of the Northern Diamonds team that won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2022. She has appeared in every 2023 Hundred match that Northern Superchargers have played so far.

“Mahika (Gaur) is a very exciting talent. Left-arm swing bowlers over six-foot tall are unique in women’s cricket. Mahika has shown consistently this summer that she is a threat with the new ball, and we are excited to see how she performs at the international level.”

“Bess (Heath) is an all-action cricketer who impacts games and is a great fit for us and how we want to play. She impressed in the A team games against Australia earlier in the summer and she also provides cover for Amy Jones with the gloves,” said head coach Jon Lewis in a statement.

After healing from a stress fracture in her back, all-rounder Freya Kemp rejoins the 20-over squad, and seamer Lauren Filer gets her first call-up for a T20 International after making her England debut in the Test match at this summer’s Ashes.

Although she was picked to the ODI team, opener Tammy Beaumont did not receive a T20I call-up after scoring the maiden Women’s Hundred century for Welsh Fire versus Trent Rockets by hitting 118 from 61 balls.

The series will be missed by top-ranked ODI and T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone, left-arm spinner Sophia Dunkley, and experienced combo Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danielle Wyatt in an effort to manage the quartet’s schedule for the upcoming 12 months.

“We have named a squad with a good blend of youth and experience and see this as an important series to test the depth of playing pool. We have some exciting, new young players coming in who we are looking forward to working with.”

“With a World Cup coming up next year it’s imperative we develop the squad and players can gain international caps and experience. The chance to play at venues around the country is exciting.”

“It’s great the opening fixture against Sri Lanka at Hove is now sold out. After an incredible Ashes summer, we want to maintain momentum on and off the field and look forward to getting started,” concluded Lewis.

Three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) between England and Sri Lanka are played from 31 August to 6 September at The Hove, Chelmsford and Derby. Three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) will be played on Chester-le-Street, Northampton, and Leicester on September 9, 12, and 14.

England T20I squad: Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Issy Wong and Danni Wyatt

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, and Nat Sciver-Brunt

-IANS