New Zealand Women have been dealt with a big blow as Amelia Kerr has been sidelined from remaining India matches due to injury.
New Zealand’s star allrounder Amelia Kerr has been ruled out of the remaining two ODIs against India Women after sustaining a left quadricep muscle injury during the opening match on Thursday.
Kerr, a crucial asset for New Zealand, took 4 for 42 and contributed an unbeaten 25 off 23 balls in the first ODI, though her efforts couldn’t prevent a 59-run defeat. After an assessment on Friday, scans confirmed a grade-one quadricep tear, with her recovery estimated to take around three weeks.
She will be returning to New Zealand on Sunday to commence her rehabilitation, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed. The 23-year-old’s injury also jeopardizes her upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) stint with the Sydney Sixers.
Signed as a high-profile platinum-category pick, her anticipated three-week recovery timeline could see her miss eight of the Sixers’ 10 league games, casting doubt over her participation in this season’s WBBL. Sydney Sixers had been counting on Kerr’s all-round capabilities to bolster their squad, but they may now have to find alternatives to cover her absence for most of the tournament.
New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer expressed disappointment at losing such a key player during an essential part of the ODI series, stating, “We’re really gutted for Melie. Injuries are always a challenging time for a player, and we know how disappointed she is to not be able to play these games.”
Sawyer emphasized Kerr’s importance to the New Zealand team, adding, “Everyone knows how much of an integral part of this team Melie is, so we’ll certainly miss her, but we’re wishing her a speedy recovery.”
Kerr’s absence is a significant setback for New Zealand as they aim to strengthen their standing in the Women’s ODI Championship. The top six teams in the standings will secure direct entry to the 2025 ODI World Cup.
Currently, New Zealand holds sixth place out of ten teams and is vying to improve its position. Losing a key player like Kerr, who recently emerged as the highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps in the T20 World Cup, may impact the team’s performance as they seek to solidify their ranking.
The New Zealand squad, currently without a replacement for Kerr, will play the remaining ODIs against India on October 27 and October 29 in Ahmedabad before shifting focus to an upcoming series against Australia in December.
