A T20 World Cup star was taken to hospital overnight in her first game in the new Women’s Premier League, succumbing to injury in the first over of the Gujarat Giants’ innings.
Beth Mooney has suffered a disastrous start to her Women’s Premier League career, being taken to hospital after suffering a knee injury as her Gujarat Giants were thrashed in the inaugural match in the Indian league.
A week after scooping player of the match honours in Australia’s third consecutive T20 World Cup win, Mooney was making history as captain of the Giants in the inaugural WPL match against Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians in India.
But the day ended disastrously for the opener, who injured her knee in the first over of the Giants’ innings and had to be attended to on the pitch before being taken off the ground and then ferried to hospital in a waiting ambulance.
The extent of the injury remains unclear – it was reported by news agencies and on the Cricket Australia website as a knee problem, although the Giants’ own site has it as a twisted ankle.
Regardless, the Giants will be sweating on the availability of Mooney, who they signed as their inaugural captain for $350,000 for the three-week tournament.
The Giants, who also picked up Ash Gardner for $558,000 – after winning a furious bidding war for the most expensive international in the league – will be keen to have Mooney back ahead of their clash against the UP Warriorz on Monday morning (AEDT), who are captained by her Australian opening partner and fellow ‘keeper Alyssa Healy.
They will also be looking for a stronger result after their drubbing at the hands of the Indians.
Mumbai and India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur smashed 14 fours in her 65 (30) to take her team to 5-207, the equal second-highest women’s T20 score of all time.
Her bowlers then left the Giants reeling, dismissing them for 9-64 in reply, their innings lasting just 15.1 overs.
“We kept things simple and clear. Told players to play natural,” player-of-the-match Kaur said.
Left-arm orthodox bowler Saika Ishaque finished with 4-11 from 3.1 overs, while internationals Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr took two wickets each.
The Giants, who are coached by former international Rachael Haynes, have invested heavily in Australians but there was little to write home about for any of them in the opening match.
Gardner fell for a duck, while Annabel Sutherland made 6 and Georgia Wareham 8 in the Giants’ innings.
Gardner finished with 1-38 from her four overs and while Wareham also finished with a wicket, she and Sutherland were expensive, going for 10 runs an over from their three overs with the ball.
Originally published as Beth Mooney taken to hospital with suspected knee injury