Grace Harris ruled out of upcoming Women's World Cup with calf strain

New Delhi [India], September 23 (ANI): Australia all-rounder Grace Harris has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup with a calf strain sustained during Australia’s fielding innings against India in the third ODI on Saturday.

The injury has dashed the all-rounder’s hopes of playing her first ODI World Cup match during the tournament in India and Sri Lanka. Harris was part of Australia’s 2022 World Cup-winning campaign but did not feature in a single game, as per the ICC website.

Harris is known for her big-hitting lower down the order, as is testified by her T20I strike-rate of 155.52, and can be a handy off-spinner with 21 international wickets to her name.

Despite not playing an ODI for Australia since March 2024, Harris had shown rich form in her recent white-ball outings.

Representing Surrey in the T20 Blast, she scored 338 runs at a strike rate close to 158.

Her purple patch carried into The Hundred, where she turned out for the London Spirit. Harris once again impressed with the bat, amassing 214 runs at a stunning strike rate of 174, further underlining her credentials as one of the most explosive hitters in the game.

The third and final ODI between India and Australia saw the tourists take the series 2-1 after a high-scoring encounter.

She will be replaced in the squad by Heather Graham, who will join the side in India following Western Australia’s opening two Women’s National Cricket League matches.

Graham is a fast bowling all-rounder with six international appearances and nine wickets to her name. Like Harris, Graham has also enjoyed a strong run in the English domestic leagues. In the T20 Blast, she contributed with both bat and ball, scoring 186 runs and picking up six wickets.

Her all-round impact continued in The Hundred, where she added 70 runs with the bat and claimed seven wickets

Updated squad:

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

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