England have been given a major injury scare ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup after captain Nat Sciver-Brunt sustained a calf injury.
Sciver-Brunt has been withdrawn from Charlotte Edwards’s squad for the ODI series against New Zealand after sufffering the issue while playing for the Blaze on Wednesday.
Vice-captain Charlie Dean, who had originally been rested for that series, will now skipper the side, with Maia Bouchier called up as batting cover.
A decision on Sciver-Brunt’s participation in T20 series against the White Ferns and India will be made in due course, with England suggesting that her absence from the 50-over games is precautionary as they gear up for a tournament on home soil.
The World Cup squad took no part in the Metro Bank Cup games on Saturday to instead attend a leadership programme with the British Army. Sciver-Brunt was not involved in physical activities.
England open their campaign against Sri Lanka on 12 June at Edgbaston, and also face the West Indies, Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand in Group B. They have not played competitively since exiting the 50-over World Cup to South Africa in October.
