Gujarat Giants were hit with the news that their skipper and star batter Beth Mooney will be forced to sit out the rest of the Women's Premier League (WPL) inaugural edition after playing just the first innings of their match against Mumbai Indians on March 4. However, the team management have moved quickly to secure her replacement and in doing so, have decided to bring to swashbuckling South African opener Laura Wolvaardt to replace their injured captain.
Mooney's absence from the tournament was confirmed by the team's head coach Rachael Haynes, who told commentators during the match against UP Warriorz, "I feel we may have to replace (Beth) Mooney. The scans that came out today, did not look that great. The medical team will take a look at the scans and they will take the last call."
Wolvaardt, who went unsold during the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction, proved everyone wrong with her performances in the recently concluded Women's T20 World Cup. The 23-year-old was the highest run-getter in the tournament with 230 runs to her name and played a crucial role during her country's run to their first-ever ICC tournament final, eventually losing the trophy to Australia.
More recently, Wolvaardt played in the PCB's Women's League Exhibition, where she was a part of the Super Women side, scoring an unbeaten 53 off 36 balls as Nida Dar's team beat the Amazons by eight wickets.
It is now being reported that Wolvaardt will be replaced by her national team skipper Sune Luus in the tournament, while she will travel to Mumbai to link up with her Gujarat Giants teammates and help them rekindle their season after losses in the first two matches against Mumbai Indians and then the UP Warriorz.
Wolvaardt will also be a welcome addition to the team and will hope to partner Sophia Dunkley at the top of the order, with the star English opener smashing an 18-ball half-century during their match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 8. This is the fastest half-century till date in their four-day history of the competition.
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