Hayley Matthews to Miss the Upcoming Big Bash League Season due to Injury

West Indies cricket and Melbourne Renegades have been dealt a huge blow as their star all-rounder Hayley Matthews is set to miss a long time on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury. The news came just before the WBBL overseas draft, and Renegades will now look for other stars to fill the void left by Matthews’ injury.

Hayley Matthews was signed for two years by the defending champions Renegades as a pre-draft recruit. However, while fielding in the first ODI against England, Matthews hurt her shoulder and was ruled out for the rest of the series.

Despite the injury, Matthews returned to the national side for the home series against South Africa. She has already played in the ODIs and will probably feature in the T20I series as well. It is also reported that Matthews will feature in the Women’s CPL in September and will go for her surgery afterwards, due to the World Cup window, as West Indies has failed to qualify for the tournament.

"We are clearly disappointed Hayley won't be with us this season," Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said. "She's been instrumental during her time with the Renegades, not just with her performances but with her leadership and professionalism.

"There's a very close relationship between the Renegades and Hayley, and we know it will continue next year and beyond. Hayley loves this club, and we share in her disappointment at not being available for this year's tournament."

Matthews was a key player for the Renegades last season. Her all-round performances took Renegades to their maiden WBBL trophy, as she topped the batting charts with 324 runs at a strike rate of 130.64. She was also their second top wicket-taker, taking 14 wickets with an economy of less than 7. Matthews was also Player of the Match in the final with a knock of 69 runs and 2 wickets against Brisbane Heat.