England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt targets World Cup semi-final return
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is targeting a return for the T20 World Cup semi-finals following a positive MRI scan on her recurring calf injury.
The 33-year-old has missed her country’s past two tournament fixtures after aggravating an issue that previously sidelined her for six weeks at the start of the summer.
While she will remain unavailable for Saturday’s final group match against New Zealand, the all-rounder is firmly optimistic about featuring in the knockout stages.
Positive scan results bring semi-final hope
Her wife, legendary former fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt, revealed the skipper’s improving physical mindset during an interview with BBC Test Match Special.
“She believes she can come into the semi and that she is OK, that is where her head is now and that is great.”
The former international, who claimed 335 wickets during her own storied career, added that the latest medical assessments have provided significant encouragement.
“She has had another MRI, she is happy with the result and positive that it is going in the direction we like.”
Rehabilitation continues as knockout dates loom
The injured star has not featured since retiring out during a commanding victory over Ireland in her team’s second match of the global campaign.
An official statement released after Wednesday’s win against the West Indies confirmed the experienced batter had already successfully returned to the practice nets.
However, the national squad’s medical staff stressed that the dynamic player still requires slightly more rehabilitation time before becoming fully available for match selection.
Risking the influential talisman this weekend was always considered highly unlikely once the upcoming fixture was confirmed as a tournament dead rubber.
Complex scheduling awaits qualified England
The exact date of their highly anticipated semi-final clash remains completely uncertain until the final group standings are officially resolved on Sunday evening.
Tournament organisers have notably scheduled the first semi-final for Tuesday at 14:30 BST to comfortably accommodate massive Indian television audiences.
If the unbeaten group leaders maintain their top spot, they will likely play on Thursday unless India manage to secure second place in Group One.
Should the Indian side finish as runners-up, rigid tournament scheduling rules dictate that the European heavyweights would be automatically switched to the earlier Tuesday fixture.
