Gujarat Giants sign Lea Tahuhu as the replacement for Lauren Cheatle

Women’s Premier League franchise Gujarat Giants have roped in New Zealand quick Lea Tahuhu as a replacement for Australia’s Lauren Cheatle. The left-arm Australian pacer recently underwent neck surgery and will be unavailable for the upcoming edition of the WPL. Cheatle was picked by GG for a base price of INR 30 lakh during the WPL 2024 auction which was held in December last year.

On January 31, 2024, it was confirmed that Lauren Cheatle will miss the upcoming edition of the Women’s Premier League. She underwent surgery for the removal of the skin cancer from her neck and went under the same treatment in 2021 which was on her leg.

The left-arm 24-year-old quick has represented Australia in a total of 12 international matches and made her Test debut against India in Mumbai in December 2023.

Lea Tahuhu is a well-experienced New Zealand bowler and has played a total of 173 international matches for the white ferns. This includes 93 ODIs and 80 T20I games in which she has picked up 109 and 78 wickets respectively. Tahuhu will join the Gujarat Giants camp for the same base price Lauren Cheatle was signed in the WPL 2024 auction.

Lea Tahuhu announced as the replacement of Lauren Cheatle by Gujarat Giants

The WPL issued a press release for the same and informed about the development. The press release read, “Gujarat Giants (GG) named Lea Tahuhu as replacement for Lauren Cheatle for the upcoming edition of the TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024, starting February 23, 2024.”

“Tahuhu, who has represented New Zealand in 80 T20Is and 93 ODIs and has 78 and 109 wickets to her name in T20Is and ODIs respectively, will join GG for INR 30 Lakh. Cheatle, a left-arm pacer from Australia, recently underwent a medical procedure on her neck and will be unavailable for the upcoming TATA WPL season. WPL would like to wish Cheatle a speedy recovery.”

Lea Tahuhu went unsold in the previous two auctions of the Women’s Premier League. Tahuhu featured in the ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year 2017. Tahuhu has been a regular member of the New Zealand women’s cricket team and is one the highest wicket-takers in the white ball format for her side.

Lea Tahuhu has also represented the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League. Tahuhu has picked up a total of 57 wickets from 70 games at an economy rate of 6.12.

The 2024 edition of the Women’s Premier League is all set to start on February 23, 2024, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The first match of the WPL 2024 will be a repeat of the final of the previous edition as Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will be locking horns against each other.

Mumbai Indians are the reigning champions of the tournament and will be aiming to repeat the same performance under Harmanpreet Kaur. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals under the captaincy of Meg Lanning will also walk on the field with the same intention.

Other teams such as Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz cannot be kept out of contention from lifting the trophy and have an equal chance of winning the competition.