Australiathe ongoing campaign ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been dealt a huge blow, as its star pitcher Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
The 25-year-old speedster was tragically sidelined after suffering a devastating shoulder dislocation while playing against Pakistan in their final match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Vlaeminck’s exit not only shocked the Australian women’s cricket team, but also marked another heartbreaking chapter in his injury-plagued career.
Tayla Vlaeminck ruled out of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 after devastating shoulder injury
With her history of setbacks, including multiple knee reconstructions and recurring shoulder problems, Tayla Vlaeminck’s misfortune is a painful reminder of the brutal toll injuries have taken on her career. After undergoing a series of surgeries and recoveries following stress fractures, shoulder surgeries and other injuries, Tayla Vlaeminck made a surprising return to the Australian team earlier this year.
But as fate would have it, their journey to the T20 World Cup was cut short once again. Following Tayla Vlaeminck’s injury setback, Australia have moved on quickly as they named Heather Graham as their replacement for the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The ICC technical committee approved the latest change to Australia’s squad for the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. 2024.
Graham, who had a breakthrough season with the Hobart Hurricanes at the T20 Spring Challenge in Adelaide, joined the Australia women’s team in Dubai to replace Vlaeminck in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Heather Graham’s unexpected call-up provides hope for the Australian women’s team, but all eyes remain on how she will fill Vlaeminck’s place.
Alyssa Healy likely to miss India-Australia clash at ICC T20 World Cup 2024
Meanwhile, Australian captain Alyssa Healy also faces uncertainty after suffering an acute foot injury during the same ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan. Healy’s availability for Australia’s crucial Group A clash against India is in doubt.
In particular, Tayla Vlaeminck has faced a challenging career, enduring two knee reconstructions and shoulder surgery before even turning 21. Just as she was set to take part in the 2020 T20 World Cup, a stress fracture in her right foot forced her to retire on the eve of the tournament.
He returned in 2021 but suffered another setback with a recurrence of the injury during the 2022 Ashes at home. His misfortune continued when he dislocated his left shoulder, the same one he previously injured, during a return tour with Australia A in England in mid-2023. This injury required surgery, delaying his return until the summer of 2024-25.
Despite these setbacks, Tayla Vlaeminck made an emotional return to the Australian women’s cricket team during their white-ball tour of Bangladesh earlier this year and eventually regained her place in the team for the ongoing ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2024, but his dream once again shattered.
Here is Australia’s updated squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham .
Notably, Australia are so far unbeaten in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, thrashing Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan in comprehensive fashion to advance to the next stage. Australia’s final group match in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is against India on October 13 in Sharjah, and they would be eager to reach the semi-finals in a big way.