Tayla Vlaeminck ruled out of Women's T20 World Cup 2024; Heather Graham joins Australia squad

Australia’s campaign in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been hit with a major blow, as their star pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

The 25-year-old speedster was tragically sidelined after suffering a devastating shoulder dislocation while fielding against Pakistan in their last ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 game. Vlaeminck’s exit not only left the Australia women’s cricket team in shock but also marked another heartbreaking chapter in her injury-plagued career.

Tayla Vlaeminck ruled out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 after a devastating shoulder injury

With her history of setbacks, including multiple knee reconstructions and recurring shoulder issues, Tayla Vlaeminck’s misfortune is a painful reminder of the brutal toll injuries have taken on her career. After undergoing a series of surgeries and recoveries after stress fractures, shoulder surgeries, and other injuries, Tayla Vlaeminck made a stunning return to the Australian side earlier this year.

But as fate would have it, her T20 World Cup journey was cut short once again. Following Tayla Vlaeminck’s injury setback, Australia has swiftly moved on, as they named Heather Graham as her replacement for the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The ICC's technical committee has approved the latest change to Australia's squad for the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Graham, who had a great stint with the Hobart Hurricanes in the T20 Spring Challenge in Adelaide, joined the Australia Women squad in Dubai to fill in for Vlaeminck at the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Heather Graham’s unexpected call-up provides hope for the Australian women’s team, but all eyes remain on how she will fill the shoes of Vlaeminck.

Alyssa Healy likely to miss India vs Australia clash at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Meanwhile, Australian captain Alyssa Healy also faces uncertainty after sustaining an acute foot injury during the same ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan. Healy’s availability for Australia’s crucial Group A clash against India is in doubt.

Notably, Tayla Vlaeminck has faced a challenging career, enduring two knee reconstructions and shoulder surgery before even turning 21. Just as she was set to feature in the 2020 T20 World Cup, a stress fracture in her right foot forced her out on the eve of the tournament.

She made her return in 2021 but suffered another setback with a recurrence of the injury during the 2022 Ashes at home. Her misfortune continued when she dislocated her left shoulder, the same one previously injured, during a comeback tour with Australia A in England in mid-2023. This injury required surgery, delaying her return until the 2024–25 summer.

Despite these setbacks, Tayla Vlaeminck made an emotional comeback to the Australian women’s cricket team during their white-ball tour of Bangladesh earlier this year and ultimately earned back her spot in the squad for the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, but her dream once again shattered.

Here’s Australia’s updated squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024:

Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, and Georgia Wareham.

Notably, Australia is so far unbeaten in the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, thrashing Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Pakistan compressively to progress into the next stage. Australia’s final group match at the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is against India on October 13 in Sharjah, and they would be eager to storm into the semifinals in a grand way.