Watch: Ashleigh Gardner suffers concussion after brutal collision with Georgia Wareham

Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner suffered an unfortunate concussion before the first T20I between Australia Women and New Zealand Women when she clashed accidentally with Georgia Wareham during the warm-up session.

It looked like a brutal clash on the first look as both the players went into each other. Wareham was seen checking her teeth and jaws but looked fine after some time. Meanwhile, Ashleigh Gardner was in far more pain as her head clashed and wasn't looking good for the first T20I. As a result, Ashleigh Gardner was ruled out of the first T20I due to concussion protocols.

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Watch - Ashleigh Gardner brutally clashes with Georgia Wareham; suffers concussion

Ash Gardner is out due to concussion protocols...

After this head clash with Georgia Wareham in a warm up game 😮#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/fN9tNWiJoc

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) September 19, 2024

In the video, it is clearly seen that both the cricketers clashed as both were not looking at each other. Georgia Wareham was in orange while Ashleigh Gardner was in a blue training jersey. Ashleigh Gardner fell to the ground after clashing with her teammate.

The other Australian players checked in on both the players as Ashleigh Gardner went off the field. She was later ruled out of the first T20I played at Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay. Australia will hope to be fully fit before the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 next month.

Australia and New Zealand prepare for Women's T20 World Cup 2024

Australia and New Zealand will play a three-match T20I series. The first two T20Is will be played at Mackay while the last match will be played at Allan Border Field, Brisbane. The series is seen as a preparation for both teams for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, which will be played in the UAE next month.

Australia are the defending champions and also the most successful team in the Women's T20 World Cup history with 6 titles to their name. They have been a highly dominating side in Women's cricket for some years now and will be aiming for their seventh title next month under Alyssa Healy.

It will be interesting to see how they perform under the leadership of Alyssa Healy who will be leading the team for the first time in an ICC tournament. Meg Lanning retired from international cricket after leading Australia to glory in the Women's T20 World Cup 2023.

Meanwhile, Australian women are currently playing New Zealand women in the first T20I. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 143-7 in 20 overs on the back of the skipper Suzie Bates and Maddie Green.

Bates scored 33 off 27 balls while opening the innings while Green top-scored with 35 off 33 balls. Bates is leading New Zealand in this series in the absence of the regular captain Sophie Devine. New Zealand women are on a seven-match losing streak currently and will be aiming to end their streak here.