T20 World Cup: Australian speedster Tayla Vlaeminck to miss tournament with foot injury

The Australian team has been hit with a major blow the day before the start of the Women’s T20 World Cup, with lightening quick pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck scrubbed due to a foot injury.

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Australian speedster Tayla Vlaeminck’s Twenty20 World Cup is over before it had even begun, ruled out of the competition after suffering a foot injury.

Off-spinner Molly Strano will replace her in the Australia squad.

Vlaeminck fronted a Australia’s team reception in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon with a moon boot on her right foot, with confirmation of her unavailability arriving on Thursday, the day before Australia’s opening match, against India.

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Speedster Tayla Vlaeminck is out of the Women’s T20 World Cup with a stress fracture in her foot. Picture: AAP

The 21-year-old trained with the team on Monday but did not play in Tuesday’s final warm-up match against South Africa in Adelaide.

It’s the latest in a long list of injuries for the youngster. She has had two knee reconstructions as a teenager, further knee issues and a shoulder dislocation already in her career.

Vlaeminck is tipped to be the first woman bowler to crack the 130km/h barrier. Picture: AAP

Australia were able to apply to the ICC to have a replacement player brought into their 15-person squad, with Strano called up at the 11th hour.

The tournament as well as the Australian team have been robbed of a potential star of the competition, with Australian great Mel Jones predicting Vlaeminck could be the first female to hit the 130km/h barrier.

Molly Strano has replaced injured speedster Tayla Vlaeminck in our squad for the ICC Women's @T20WorldCup.

Details👉https://t.co/XJw5X1jeKZ pic.twitter.com/JsdpN28G8i

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) February 20, 2020

“Once she has that confidence to just wang it down there. It’s not unfathomable to say that she will be our 130km/h bowler,” Jones, who played 66 games for Australia across all formats, said.

“You don’t want to put pressure on her, but I think that’s capable.

“And if she doesn’t she will generate the next generation of bowlers who want to be the next Tayla Vlaeminck.”