Women’s Big Bash League: Harmanpreet Kaur ruled out due to back injury

India Women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been ruled out of the ongoing edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) due to a back injury. The 33-year-old batter represents the Melbourne Renegades in the T20 league.

Harmanpreet missed Renegades’ opening two matches of this year’s season as she was leading the Indian team in the Women’s Asia Cup. An official release from the Renegades has confirmed that the star cricketer won’t be part of this year’s edition.

Melbourne Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said of the development:

“Harmanpreet was fantastic for us last season and we were looking forward to having her as part of our squad again this year, but unfortunately she has been ruled out through injury.”

The franchise has signed English batter Eve Jones as an overseas replacement player. Rosengarten added:

“Eve will stay on with our squad for at least the next couple of matches, as we work through the best strategy for our squad for the remainder of the tournament.”

Harmanpreet had an impressive run with the Renegades last season. In 12 innings, she smashed 406 runs at an average of 41.4 and was named the Player of the Tournament.

The Renegades have registered a win and a loss in their opening two games of the current WBBL edition. They beat the Adelaide Strikers by four wickets before going down to the Brisbane Heat by 21 runs.

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WBBL|08 Squad: Sophie Molineux (C), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Shabnim Ismail (SA), Eve Jones (ENG), Erica Kershaw, Carly Leeson, Hayley Matthews (WI), Rhiann O’Donnell, Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb. Coach: Simon Helmot.

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Meanwhile, Jemimah Rodrigues will join the Melbourne Stars, having completed her Asia Cup duties for India. Another member of India’s Asia Cup squad, Pooja Vastrakar, will also join the Brisbane Heat.

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Harmanpreet-led India lifted Asia Cup in style

India Women won their seventh Asia Cup title, thumping Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final in Sylhet on October 15. Bowling first, India held Sri Lanka to 65/9 as Renuka Singh claimed 3/5. Smriti Mandhana’s 51* off 25 then guided them to an emphatic triumph.

Rodrigues was the leading run-getter in the tournament, scoring 217 runs in six innings at an average of 54.25 and a strike rate of 135.62. Deepti Sharma was the highest wicket-taker, claiming 13 scalps at an average of 7.69.