Heather Knight will be unavailable for the remainder of the summer. She sustained a serious hamstring injury during England’s recent win against West Indies in the third T20 match on Monday. The failure is the latest blow for the 34-year-old cricketer. She has already overcome a series of challenges to her career in the last year.
Knight was on excellent form throughout the game and was not out on 66 runs in a 17-run victory. Her performance was marred by difficulties running between the wickets as she limped towards the end of her innings. A subsequent scan revealed a “significant tendon injury to her right hamstring,” according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
It’s a cruel blow, after she ruptured a tendon in her calf during the T20 World Cup last autumn. That same injury had already forced her to miss some other major competitions. She passed on missing out on the Commonwealth Games, The Hundred, and the home series against India in 2022. This was a temporary setback caused by surgery to correct a hip condition.
Knight looks forward to reuniting with London Spirit when this year’s Hundred gets underway. He’s the same coach who led the team to its first ever title in 2024. Now his absence will be felt most keenly throughout the summer. Alice Capsey has been called up as her replacement for the upcoming three-match one-day international series against West Indies.
In April, after leading the side for nine years, Knight was replaced as England captain by all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt. Her sacking came in the wake of a 16-0 Ashes series hammering at the hands of Australia.
Even with these disappointments, Knight is still focused on aiming for the World Cup to be her next goal.
“She is no stranger to injuries. I don’t think that necessarily makes it any easier but she has said she will aim for the World Cup and having that big competition in mind will give her the motivation to make sure she is there for it.” – Kate Cross
Cross further demonstrated his support for Knight during this difficult moment, saying,
“We are all sending her lots of love. We know how hard she works and how diligent she is with her fitness and rehab and those hamstrings.”
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