Women’s Premier League news: Beth Mooney, Gujarat Giants knee injury update

A week after being named Player of the Match in Australia’s third consecutive T20 World Cup win, Mooney made history as captain of the Giants in India’s first WPL game against Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians.

Now she could be ruled out of the entire tournament after her opening day ended disastrously with a knee injury in the Giants’ first over of the innings.

Mooney required on-field care before being lifted off the ground and then taken to the hospital in a waiting ambulance.

The extent of the injury remains unclear, although Giants coach and former Australia teammate Rachael Haynes revealed on Sunday that Mooney may need to be replaced for the remainder of the tournament.

“I feel like we need to replace (Beth) Mooney. The scans that came out today didn’t look that great,” Haynes told commenters.

“The medical team will review the scans and take the final call.”

The Giants signed Mooney as their first 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 league’s most expensive international – missed Mooney dearly on Monday morning as they fell to the UP Warriorz, led by their opening Australian partner and Colleague Alyssa Healy.

Australia’s Grace Harris single-handedly turned the game with inspired innings for the Warriors by hitting 59 not outs from 26 deliveries in the three-wicket win.

The loss follows her beating by the Indians.

Mumbai and India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur smashed 14 fours in her 65 (30) to take her team to 5-207, the same second-highest T20 score of all time in women.

Their bowlers then staggered the Giants and sacked them 9-64 in response, their innings lasting just 15.1 overs.

“We kept things simple and clear. I told the players to play, of course,” said Kaur, Player of the Match.

Left-arm orthodox bowler Saika Ishaque finished 4-11 from 3.1 overs while internationals Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr each won two wickets.

The Giants, coached by former international Rachael Haynes, have invested heavily in the Australians but there was nothing special for either of them in the opening game.

Gardner fell for a duck while Annabel Sutherland went on 6 and Georgia Wareham on 8 in the Giants’ innings.

Gardner finished 1-38 from their four overs and while Wareham also finished with a wicket, she and Sutherland were expensive, going 10 runs per over from their three overs with the ball.

Originally released as Beth Mooney who was hospitalized with a suspected knee injury, Gujarat may need to replace her