Devonshire, Patel and Sharp earn New Zealand central contracts for 2026-27 season
Devonshire, Patel and Sharp Earn New Zealand Central Contracts for 2026-27 Season
Flora Devonshire, Nensi Patel and Izzy Sharp have been added to New Zealand’s 17-player women’s central contract list for the 2026-27 season. The trio have replaced Suzie Bates, Lauren Down and Lea Tahuhu on the contract list, with Sophie Devine also absent from the contracted group.
Devonshire and Sharp earned contracts after spending the past year in NZC’s Central Players of Interest programme, a pathway initiative designed to accelerate the development of high-potential talent. Devonshire, a left-arm batting allrounder from Central Districts, made her international debut in March 2025 and was subsequently named in two World Cup squads.
New Additions to the Contract List
Patel returned to the contracted group after previously receiving a White Ferns central contract in 2022-23. The spin-bowling allrounder from Northern Districts has had an encouraging start to her international career since making her debut in February, having taken 14 wickets in T20Is at an average of 9.8 and an economy rate of 4.04.
Sharp, a hard-hitting right-hand batter from Timaru, captained New Zealand at the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 while on her first domestic contract with Canterbury. A key member of the Canterbury Magicians line-up, Sharp averaged 30 and struck at 128 during the 2025-26 Super Smash season, finishing as the team’s leading run-scorer.
Coach’s Comments
Ben Sawyer, New Zealand head coach, commented on the new additions to the contract list. “Flora’s a clean striker with lots of power,” he said. “Being left-handed she offers a point of difference as she’s able to hit to different areas of the field, and there’s the added bonus of her left-arm orthodox bowling.
“Nensi’s consistently accurate with the ball, and she has great control over her length and pace. Izzy’s batting has been building from strength to strength. She possesses similar qualities to Sophie and with Soph stepping away from international cricket soon, it’s really exciting to bring someone with Izzy’s power onto a central contract so we can keep working with her to develop those skills.”
New Zealand Central Contract List
The new contract list includes:
- Eden Carson
- Flora Devonshire
- Izzy Gaze
- Maddy Green
- Brooke Halliday
- Bree Illing
- Polly Inglis
- Bella James
- Fran Jonas
- Jess Kerr
- Melie Kerr
- Rosemary Mair
- Nensi Patel
- Molly Penfold
- Georgia Plimmer
- Hannah Rowe
- Izzy Sharp
