Healy, Vlaeminck injuries mar clinical World Cup win

All matches live and exclusive on Prime Video. Sign up here for a 30-day free trial

Australia are close to cementing their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals after romping to a nine-wicket win over Pakistan, but potentially serious injuries to Alyssa Healy and Tayla Vlaeminck overshadowed what was an otherwise straightforward display.

Bowling first at Dubai International Stadium, Ashleigh Gardner (4-21) led the way as Australia rolled through Pakistan for 82, a target they reached in 10.5 overs to seal their third straight win in this tournament.

But it came at a cost, with Healy was forced to retire hurt in the 10th over of Australia's chase, having pulled up while running between wickets with what the Australian camp described as "an acute right foot injury".

The Australian captain, who had looked on song striking five boundaries on her way to 37 from 23 balls, attempted to stretch out her right leg but was forced to hobble from the field.

She will undergo scans on Saturday to determine the extent of the injury.

However, the tight scheduling of the tournament would put her in serious doubt for Australia's final group game against India on Sunday, which will quickly be followed by finals. 

Healy's retirement only added to the pain for Australia, after quick Vlaeminck dislocated her right shoulder in the first over of the match.

The 25-year-old fell on the joint while diving to save a boundary on the fourth ball of Megan Schutt’s opening over.

Running back from short third, Vlaeminck’s knee got stuck in the turf as she slid in to cut off the ball, and while she flicked it back away from the rope, she then immediately grabbed her shoulder, appearing distraught before she was walked from the field by Australian medical staff.

The Australian camp later confirmed her shoulder had since been relocated, with more to be known about the severity of the injury in coming days.

It was a particularly cruel twist of fate for Vlaeminck, who had come into Australia’s XI on Friday to make her first World Cup appearance since 2018, after a torrid run of injuries saw her repeatedly sidelined in recent years.

The crestfallen Australians then rallied to roll through Pakistan for 82 in 19.5 overs.

The twin injuries overshadowed what was otherwise Australia's most clinical display of the tournament to date.

The Pakistan squad, themselves grappling with the sudden departure of captain Fatima Sana who flew home to Karachi on Thursday following the death of her father, found the boundary just four times across their innings.

Megan Schutt was again outstanding in the Powerplay, sending down three overs for figures of 1-7.

Sophie Molineux (1-19) secured the first breakthrough when she had stand-in captain Muneeba Ali caught by Phoebe Litchfield at short midwicket.

From there, wickets continued to fall with clockwork regularity, with spin doing much of the damage as Gardner (4-21) and Georgia Wareham (2-16), while Annabel Sutherland also made her impact felt, taking 2-15.

Aggressive No.6 Aliya Riaz provided the most resistance, hitting three boundaries in her 32-ball 26, but Sidra Amin (12), Iram Javid (12) and Nida Dar (10) were the only other batters to reach double figures.

Australia have one day to recover before their final Group A game against India in Sharjah on Sunday evening.

A win in that game will cement top spot in their group, although their healthy net run rate of +2.786 should see them remain the top seed even if they do drop their final match.

India need to win the game to give themselves the best chance of advancing to the semi-finals, with Harmanpreet Kaur’s team locked in a tight contest with New Zealand, who have a game up their sleeve.

The Australian camp will be desperately hoping Vlaeminck is not in for another lengthy layoff.

The Victorian, who had endured two knee reconstructions and shoulder surgery before her 21st birthday, was ruled out of the 2020 T20 World Cup on the eve of the tournament with a stress fracture to the navicular bone of her right foot.

She returned from the ailment in 2021, only to suffer a recurrence of the injury during the 2022 home Ashes. Vlaeminck then dislocated her left shoulder during her comeback tour for Australia A in the UK in mid-2023 and required surgery before returning late in the 2024-25 summer.

Vlaeminck had made an emotional return to Australian colours during the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in March, before earning her place in this T20 World Cup squad.

2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia's Group A fixtures

October 5: beat Sri Lanka by six wickets

October 8: beat New Zealand by 60 runs

October 11: beat Pakistan by nine wickets

October 13: v India, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 14 AEDT

Finals

October 17: Semi-final 1, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 18 AEDT

October 18: Semi-final 2, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 19 AEDT

October 20: Final, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 21 AEDT

For the full list of fixtures click here. All matches live and exclusive on Prime Video. Sign up here for a 30-day free trial