Australian fast bowler Lauren Cheatle has pulled out of the 2024 Women’s Premier League after a skin cancer removal procedure.
Cheatle, 25, was picked up by the Gujarat Giants for Rs 30 Lakhs during the WPL auction back in December 2023. On Saturday, the Giants named New Zealand veteran Lea Tahuhu as Cheatle’s replacement.
The announcement of Cheatle’s withdrawal came from her Australia domestic side New South Wales on February 1, stating that Cheatle would also miss the remainder of the domestic season.
This is not the first time Cheatle has had to go through a medical procedure – she had to have a skin cancer removal on her leg back in 2021.
The bowler has also been beset with shoulder injuries for the last four years and had only returned to the Australian side in December last year, when she made her Test debut in the away loss to India in a one-off Test.
As per Cricket NSW, Cheatle will most likely make a comeback to pre-season training with her domestic side after the scheduled off-season break.
Meanwhile, in Tahuhu, the Giants are getting an experienced pacer.
The 33-year-old Kiwi has played 93 One-Day Internationals and 80 Twenty20 Internationals for her country, picking up 109 and 78 wickets in the two formats respectively.