Beth Mooney taken to hospital with suspected knee injury, may need to be replaced by Gujarat

Australian T20 hero Beth Mooney’s debut Women’s Premier League could be over as soon as it begun - with scans revealing the extent of the star opening’s devastating leg injury.

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.

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

Mooney had to be attended to on the pitch before being taken off the ground and then ferried to hospital in a waiting ambulance.

Mooney went down in her first game as the inaugural captain of the Gujarat Giants. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP

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 we may have to replace (Beth) Mooney. The scans that came out today, did not look that great,” Haynes told commentators.

“The medical team will take a look at the scans and they will take the last call.”

The Giants signed Mooney as their inaugural captain for $350,000 for the three-week tournament.

Rachael Haynes informs on the broadcast that Beth Mooney’s injury isn’t looking good and Gujarat Giants may replace her.#WPL2023pic.twitter.com/QzR7LxHzHO

— Bhavesh Bafana (@fantasy11circle) March 5, 2023

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 – dearly missed Mooney on Monday morning as they went fell to the UP Warriorz, who are captained by her Australian opening partner and fellow ‘keeper Alyssa Healy.

Australia’s Grace Harris single-handedly turned the game with an inspired innings for the Warriors, blasting 59 not out from 26 deliveries in the three-wicket win.

The loss follows on from 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.

Beth Mooney’s injury is unclear at this point. Picture: WLP Twitter

“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, may need to be replaced by Gujarat