In a major blow to the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) ahead of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2024, star Australian batter Meg Lanning has been ruled out due to an injury. She was in action at The Hundred Women’s Competition 2024, where her side London Spirit clinched the title.
Meg Lanning’s absence leaves a void in TKR squad
Lanning, the former Australian captain and one of the most prolific run-scorers in women’s cricket, was set to represent in the WCPL 2024. Her absence will undoubtedly be felt by the team, as they lose a crucial component of their batting lineup. Lanning’s experience and leadership skills would have been invaluable for the Knight Riders.
The Knight Riders will begin their WCPL 2024 campaign against Barbados Royals in Tarouba on Thursday.
Also READ: Women’s CPL 2024 – Full schedule, complete squads, broadcast and live streaming details
Lanning’s replacement
The TKR management has acted swiftly to fill the void left by Lanning’s injury, securing the services of Sri Lanka’s Harshitha Samarawickrama.
Samarawickrama, a left-handed top-order batter, will join Jess Jonassen, Shikha Pandey and Jemimah Rodrigues as the other overseas players for the Knight Riders. She has now become the second Sri Lankan woman to be picked in an overseas league after Chamari Athapaththu.
Samarawickrama has represented Sri Lanka in over 95 matches and is currently ranked among the top 3 batters of her nation. She was named Player of the Match in the final of Women’s Asia Cup 2024 for her unbeaten 69-run knock. Samarawickrama continued her impressive form with back-to-back fifties in the recent T20I series against Ireland. She further solidified her reputation by becoming the third Sri Lankan woman to score an ODI century, achieving the feat against the Irish side. With a total of 1463 runs in 65 T20Is at a strike rate of 99.72, Samarawickrama is a formidable force in women’s cricket.
