England's 16-strong squad for the five-match T20 series is otherwise unchanged to the one which defeated Pakistan 3-0 last month.

Kemp, the 19-year-old left-arm seamer, returned home early from England's tour of the Caribbean in December 2022 with a back stress fracture after making her international debut against South Africa during the English summer earlier that year, and impressing against India a few months later when she became the youngest England player, male or female, to make a T20I half-century.

She bowled during England's tour of India in December 2023 but subsequently suffered a flare-up in her back and has since played as a batter only for England A during their tour of New Zealand and for England Women in the Pakistan series, as well as in regional cricket.

Jon Lewis, England's head coach, said he hoped to include Gaur in squad activities as she continues her development. Gaur made her ODI debut for England against Sri Lanka last September, having made her England T20I debut earlier in Sri Lanka's tour after playing 19 games in the shorter format for UAE.

"This five-match series against a strong New Zealand side is really important for us and also vital preparation as we build towards the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh," Lewis said. "We are pleased to welcome Freya Kemp back as an allrounder and we will hopefully see her bowl across this series as she returns from injury.

"Sophia Dunkley comes back into the squad after showing good form at regional level, she has earned the right to be in this squad. Mahika Gaur is not available to play due to a small side strain. We will look to have her in and around the squad preparing to return to play."

Dunkley was last week named in England's ODI squad to face the White Ferns after losing her place during England's tour of New Zealand earlier this year. She was added to the 50-over squad for the last two games of England's three-match series with Pakistan last month, but didn't play in either - she was named 12th for the second fixture in Taunton, which was washed out after 6.5 overs.

That followed a run of strong performances for South East Stars in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she is the competition's leading run-scorer with 293 runs at 97.66 and a strike rate of 83.00, with a century and a fifty to her name. She has also scored 200 runs in the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition at 28.57 and a strike rate of 120.48 with two half-centuries.

England Women squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danielle Wyatt