WPL 2023: Beth Mooney to miss season remainder with injury; Sneh Rana to lead Gujarat Giants
WPL 2023: Beth Mooney has suffered an injury and will not be available for the Gujarat Giants for the rest of the season. In the meantime, Sneh Rana has been appointed as the stand-in skipper for the side.
FollowDue to an injury, the Gujarat Giants (GG) captain and world champion Beth Mooney cannot further participate in the Women’s Premier League’s (WPL’s) inaugural season. The Australian suffered a calf strain while batting against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai on March 4.
Although Mooney returned to training subsequently, it will likely take four to six weeks for her to recover to full fitness and complete her rehabilitation. “I was looking forward to the maiden WPL season with the Adani Gujarat Giants. But unfortunately, injuries are part and parcel of the sport, and I am gutted to miss the remainder of the season,” said Beth Mooney in a DC media release.
“I, however, will be keeping a close eye on the team’s performance from afar and will be rooting for them daily. And though I will be away from the field of play for the rest of the season, I am looking forward to returning stronger and fitter, and I will be hungrier next season. I wish the Gujarat Giants squad all the best for the rest of the WPL season,” Mooney added.
With Mooney out for this season, the GG has drafted in Laura Wolvaardt, the spirited South African opening batter, who played a key role for South Africa in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. She was the top scorer for the South African women’s team in the T20WC, with three 50s in six meetings. Her assistance played a significant role in helping the Proteas reach the tournament’s final, losing to the record six-time world champion Australia.
Speaking on the occasion, Wolvaardt voiced, “I am so excited to be joining the Gujarat Giants. It is an incredible opportunity, and I’m very grateful to be able to play in the WPL. I look forward to meeting with the team and cannot wait to get going.”
Also, GG head coach Rachael Haynes expressed, “Skipper Beth Mooney was definitely one of the most bankable players in the team, and she will be sorely missed. We wish her a speedy recovery, and I am sure she will make her mark in the upcoming season. We welcome Laura to the squad and look forward to bringing some of the best cricketing action in the maiden WPL season.”
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“The Gujarat Giants squad would like to wish captain Beth Mooney a speedy recovery. She is one of the game’s legends, and the team will miss her energy in the camp. But, looking ahead, the Gujarat Giants would like to extend a warm welcome to the explosive South African Laura Wolvaardt. We look forward to witnessing many boundaries and sixes from her bat through the rest of the WPL season,” sounded GG mentor-cum-advisor Mithali Raj.
With the painful change in the squad, India’s Sneh Rana will now be the side’s new leader, while Ashleigh Gardner of Australia will be her deputy for the season. In its upcoming encounter, the GG takes on the Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 11 in Navi Mumbai.
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Gujarat Giants Squad (updated): Sneh Rana (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Laura Wolvaardt, Sophia Dunkley, Annabel Sutherland, Harleen Deol, Kim Garth, Sabbineni Meghana, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi, Dayalan Hemalatha, Monica Patel, Tanuja Kanwer, Sushma Verma (wk), Hurley Gala, Ashwani Kumari, Parunika Sisodia and Shabnam Shakil.
