WPL 2023: Gujarat Giants to replace injured Beth Mooney with Laura Wolvaardt - Reports

Mumbai, March 9: Gujarat Giants set to reportedly rope in South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt as replacement for injured captain and Australia batter Beth Mooney for the rest of the Women's Premier League (WPL) season.

According to a report from ESPN Cricinfo, Wolvaardt is now all set to join the Gujarat Giants as a replacement for Mooney for the remainder of WPL 2023.

Mooney, who was the captain of Gujarat Giants, had suffered a knee injury in the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians on March 4 and has not been involved since the curtain-raiser.

Laura, who went unsold in the WPL Auction 2023 held in February, was in Pakistan to participate in exhibition matches of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s Women's League.

However, the South African batter has been released by her team Super Women and has been replaced by her compatriot Sune Luus in the side for the remainder of the tournament.

Mooney, injured her knee while taking a quick run during a chase of 208 runs against MI and did not feature in the match. This was a huge psychological blow for Gujarat Giants, who were skittled out for just 64 in the mammoth run chase.

Sneh Rana, the vice-captain of the side, has been leading Gujarat Giants in her absence.
Mooney was picked up by GG at the WPL auction for Rs 2 crore.

Gujarat Giants suffered back-to-back defeats in WPL 2023, but bounced back with a 11-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Wednesday (March 8).

Now, the addition of a player like Wolvaardt will come as a boost for the team. Wolvaardt is expected to fill in as a top order batter for Gujarat Giants. In the Women's League in Pakistan, Wolvaardt was in fine form in her only appearance, scoring a match-winning 53* off 36 balls.

"I want to thank the PCB for this opportunity to play in the Women's League exhibition matches. It has been an incredible short journey, but I have loved the experience. The team has been amazing and I have felt so welcoming," Wolvaardt said in a statement released by the PCB on Wednesday as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"I wish both sides the best of luck with the rest of the series. I am sure both sides will strive hard and they will do well and learn a lot from the experience they will get from the matches. I cannot wait to return to Pakistan in September with South Africa's national women's team and learning more about this amazing country," concluded the statement.

Gujarat Giants had earlier dealt a blow at the start of the tournament when Deandra Dottin was ruled out of the tournament. But the team that features many Australian players, like Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Annabel Sutherland, roped in Irish-born Australian pacer Kim Garth as a replacement for the West Indies opener.