Sydney: Australia may be forced to reconsider Sophie Molineux’s captaincy if her injury concerns persist ahead of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup, selector Shawn Flegler said on Wednesday.
The bowling all-rounder was appointed all-format captain in January, replacing Alyssa Healy, but has since struggled with a back issue that ruled her out of the latter stages of Australia’s multi-format series against India in February and March.
Molineux, 28, returned to lead the side in the Twenty20 leg of their recent tour of the West Indies but did not bat or bowl in the first two matches and missed the remaining games.
The Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 12 in England and Wales, with Australia prioritising the tournament in their planning.
“We were clear from the start that the T20 World Cup was the priority series and we were going to make decisions around that,” Flegler told reporters.
“The stress reaction in the back during the Indian series, not ideal, but things do happen. She’s on track for the T20 World Cup and that’s what the goal was at the start. It’s probably a fair point to say it’s unprecedented.”
