London, May 3: England’s women’s cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand due to a minor strain in her left calf. The series consists of three matches, and during this time, vice-captain and off-spin bowling all-rounder Charlie Dean will take over the captaincy. Additionally, Maia Bouchier has been called up as batting cover for the team.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Sunday that Sciver-Brunt’s exclusion from the Metro Bank ODI series is a precautionary measure. She sustained the injury while playing for ‘The Blaze’ against Warwickshire on April 29.
The first match of the ODI series between England and New Zealand is scheduled to take place on May 10 at Chester-le-Street, followed by the second match on May 13 in Northampton. The final match will be held on May 16 in Cardiff. A T20 series consisting of three matches will also be played between May 20 and 25.
The ECB further stated that Sciver-Brunt had fully participated in the domestic match but later experienced discomfort in her calf. Scans conducted on Saturday revealed the severity of the injury. The ECB noted, “After the match, the medical team of ‘The Blaze’ informed us about this issue. As a result, she did not participate in any physical activities during a subsequent leadership program with the British Army. Doctors have advised her to rest, and further assessment of her injury will take place in the coming days.”
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be held in England from June 12 to July 5, and a decision regarding Sciver-Brunt’s availability for the upcoming T20 matches against New Zealand and India will be made thereafter.
An ECB spokesperson stated, “A decision on Sciver-Brunt’s availability for the Vitality IT20 matches against New Zealand and India will be made in due course following this precautionary measure. The duration of her rest will be determined after assessing her injury.”
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
