Zaida James leaves field after injury as West Indies lose to South Africa in Women’s T20 World Cup

West Indies bowler Zaida James was injured after being hit in the face during a Women’s T20 World Cup match.

West Indies' left-arm spinner Zaida James faced a painful injury during the third match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa, after a shot from Laura Wolvaardt struck her on the jaw.

The incident took place in the second over of South Africa’s run chase when Wolvaardt chipped a return catch back towards Zaida James, according to Express news.

The ball deflected off Zaida James' fingers and hit her on the side of her chin, causing a visible cut and swelling.

Zaida James had been brought into the attack early, sharing the new ball with medium-pacer Chinelle Henry.

However, on just her first delivery, she found herself in a dangerous situation as Wolvaardt’s drive ricocheted off her hands and hit her directly in the face.

Zaida James immediately went down, visibly in pain, while the physio and her teammates rushed to her aid.

 

 

 

 

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Medical staff treated her on the field, with her left jaw showing significant swelling, before determining that she was unfit to continue.

As a result, Zaida James was taken off the field, unable to return, leaving West Indies a bowler short for the rest of the game.

This injury not only ended Zaida James' participation in the match but also added to West Indies’ mounting struggles.

The young spinner, just 19 years old, had hoped to make a significant impact in her first over of the tournament but was instead forced out of the game after delivering only one ball.

Her absence placed even greater pressure on the team, as they lacked one of their key bowlers during South Africa's dominant chase.

South Africa, on the other hand, continued to put on a commanding performance. Chasing a modest total of 118 set by West Indies, Wolvaardt, who was responsible for James’ injury, played a brilliant captain’s knock.

She scored an unbeaten 59 runs, leading her side to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory.

Her opening partner, Tazmin Brits, also contributed with a solid 57 not out, and the pair comfortably chased down the target in the 18th over without losing a wicket.

This match was a tough outing for West Indies from the start, as they struggled with the bat earlier in the day.

Despite a few individual efforts, they were bowled out for 118, with South African spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba starring with four wickets.

Losing Zaida James to injury further dented their chances of making a comeback, and South Africa’s openers capitalised on the weakened West Indies attack to secure an easy win.

Zaida James’ injury, though not life-threatening, will likely raise concerns about her further participation in the tournament.

It was an unfortunate incident that cut short her contribution and placed her team in a difficult position during the match.

The West Indies will be hoping for a swift recovery as they prepare for the upcoming games in the tournament.

South Africa cruises to 10-wicket win against West Indies in Women’s T20 World Cup

Earlier, South Africa showcased their dominance in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over West Indies.

Chasing a modest target of 119, openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits remained unbeaten, scoring 59 and 57 respectively.

The pair sealed the win with 13 balls to spare, giving the 2023 runners-up a perfect start to their tournament campaign.

West Indies struggled to build momentum after losing early wickets.

Marizanne Kapp set the tone by taking the key wickets of captain Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin, while Nonkululeko Mlaba's brilliant spell of 4/29 ripped through the middle order.

Despite Stafanie Taylor unbeaten 44, West Indies could only post 118 for six, falling short of a competitive total.

South Africa's openers controlled the chase from the outset, with Wolvaardt and Brits confidently dispatching boundaries throughout the innings.

Their partnership remained unbroken, hitting a combined 13 boundaries to take South Africa over the line.

This convincing win underscored South Africa’s strong start in Group B, as they aim for another deep run in the tournament.