Lea Tahuhu replaces Lauren Cheatle at Gujarat Giants

Cheatle has undergone a procedure for skin cancer on her neck, which ruled her out of the remainder of the Australian domestic season and the WPL

Nick Friend | 10/02/2024 at 13:42

Gujarat Giants have picked up New Zealand quick Lea Tahuhu as a replacement for Lauren Cheatle ahead of the Women's Premier League.

It was announced last week that Cheatle had undergone a procedure for skin cancer on her neck, which ruled her out of the remainder of the Australian domestic season and the WPL.

She had been picked up by Gujarat after a superb Women's Big Bash campaign with Sydney Sixers, in which the left-arm seamer picked up 21 wickets at 17.23 apiece.

That came after years of misfortune with shoulder injuries, which had caused a four-year gap between representing Australia's ODI side in 2019 and the Test team in 2023.

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^{Lauren Cheatle has been replaced by Lea Tahuhu (Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)}

"Cheatle is aiming to return to training with NSW following the players' scheduled off-season break," a Cricket New South Wales statement said last week.

"WPL would like to wish Cheatle a speedy recovery," read a statement from the competition.

Tahuhu featured in last year's exhibition matches that took place in Pakistan during the Pakistan Super League but wasn't picked up in the WPL auction.

She has made 173 appearances for New Zealand and is 13 wickets away from 200 in international cricket.

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